Boonen pulls out of Tour

Chateauroux - Former world champion Tom Boonen has pulled out of the Tour de France during Friday's seventh stage after failing to recover from the injuries he sustained on Wednesday.

The Belgian, who became world champion in 2005, got off his bike and went into his Quick Step team car with 127 kilometres left in the 218-kms ride from Le Mans.

Boonen, who won the green jersey for the best sprinter in 2007, was one of several big names to crash on Wednesday, when he finished over 13 minutes off the pace after battling throught the pain barrier to reach the line.