McGee backs out of 2007 Tour

Fox Sports Australia | McGee out of Tour de France - Breaking News

Française des Jeux's Bradley McGee will miss this year's Tour, as he did last year, because of ongoing back problems.

In a post to his website entitled "Time to face reality", McGee said he has given up on the “band-aid treatment of my sciatica,” and will “now go ahead with a surgeon's skills and hopefully put an end to the rollercoaster.”

McGee says an unsuccessful surgery would end his career, but that a successful procedure should have him back on his bike for late-season races in 2007.

McGee's condition dates back at least to 2004, when he fought through pain before abandoning during Stage 5.

In 2003, McGee won the prologue of the Centenary Tour, and wore the yellow and green jerseys as a result.