Dan Lloyd battles on in Tour despite groin strain

Daniel Lloyd, Tour de France 2010, stage 6

As the Tour de France 2010 enters its second phase, Britain's Dan Lloyd (Cervélo) remains upbeat despite suffering throughout the first week with a groin strain caused by a crash.

Speaking to Cycling Weekly on the morning of the rest day, Lloyd reported "I had a crash on Monday [stage two], I came off just behind the Schlecks [on the descent of the Stockeu climb]."

"I pulled my right foot out of the pedal, had a bit of whiplash thing and since then I've been suffering from a groin strain, right at the top of the leg."

"I've got a few superficial wounds but they're not a problem, and I picked up a cold on Wednesday, but that's on its way out."

"The thing that's niggling me the most is this groin strain, almost more on the flat stages where you have to get out of the saddle to keep on another rider's wheel. And just having to do that doesn't help me recover."

"The first hour on Sunday's stage wasn't good at all, I was in all sorts of pain and thought I was going to struggle to get through and had to go to the race doctor. But then it got bettter and at the end I couldn't feel it at all."

"It's funny, some days in the evening, it really hurts and I don't even feel like walking to dinner. Other days I feel fine but get on the bike and it starts being really painful. There's not much rhyme or reason to it."

"Hopefully a good day's rest on the rest day [yesterday] is what it needs to sort it out."

Riding his first Tour ever, Lloyd is optimistic that he will come through the next two weeks.

"I've still been able to do my job pretty well, and it was a great feeling when Thor won that stage, and just to be a part of the Tour, particularly when you're riding for the riders we've got in our team, still feels like a big privilege."

"I'm sure the next two weeks go a bit better, although there will be a lot of suffering for everybody on these Alpine stages."- starting today.

After the rest day, Lloyd was lying 159th, 1-06-53 down on race leader Cadel Evans.

Tour de France 2010: Latest news

Bradley Wiggins: Tour rest day conference

Evans faces rough ride in yellow

Riis secures replacement sponsor but Shleck in doubt

Tour de France 2010: rest day review (July 12)

Armstrong's Tour de France dream ends

Sky's objective clear ahead of Tour's high mountains

The Feed Zone (July 10): Tour de France news and views

Thomas: 'Yellow jersey would be unbelievable

Analysis: The role of Renshaw

Cavendish strikes back in Tour de France

Thomas happy with Tour's white jersey; but says 'All for Brad'

Wiggins crashes on Tour stage start

Cavendish and Farrar return to top

Cavendish keeps up fight for first Tour win

Sky delivers Boasson Hagen to third without pressure

Tour de France 2010: Stage reports

Stage seven: Chavanel wins stage and takes overall as Thomas drops out of Tour's white

Stage six: Cavendish makes it two as Tour hots up

Stage five: Cavendish wins his first stage of Tour

Stage four: Petacchi wins into Reims

Stage three: Hushovd takes dramatic win; Thomas second on stage and GC

Stage three live coverage: As it happened

Stage two: Comeback man Chavanel takes victory in Spa

Stage one: Petacchi wins in Brussels as bunch left in tatters

Prologue: Cancellara pips Martin to win

Tour de France 2010: Photos

Stage seven photo gallery

Stage six photo gallery

Stage five photo gallery

Stage four photo gallery

Stage three photo gallery

Stage two photo gallery

Stage one gallery

Prologue photo gallery

Tour de France 2010: Videos

Stage seven video highlights

Stage six video highlights

Stage five video highlights

Stage four video highlights

Stage three video highlights

Stage two video highlights

Stage one video highlights

Prologue video highlights

Tour de France 2010: Race guide

Tour de France 2010: Cycling Weekly's coverage index

Official start list, with race numbers

Brits at the Tour 2010

Tout team guide

Tour jerseys: What they are and what they mean

Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Wiggins

Tour de France 2010: Pictures

Tour team presentation, Rotterdam

Tour teams take to the cobbles: Photo special

 

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