The list of riders withdrawing from Paris-Nice grew overnight as a stomach bug has rapidly spread through the peloton.
Joost Posthuma (RadioShack-Nissan) and Taylor Phinney (BMC) are the latest riders to succumb to the instestinal complaint that has already cut Paris-Nice short for Andy Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan), Jan Bakelants (RadioShack-Nissan), Adam Hansen (Lotto-Belisol) and Olivier Kaisen (Lotto-Belisol).
"Woke up at 2:30am and threw up everything I ate yesterday... Seems to be a stomach bug going around at this race," Phinney commented on Twitter.
"Really down... This stomach bug has taken everything out of me. I hate quitting more than anything but have to look out for my body."
The withdrawal of Posthuma, Bakelandts and Schleck leaves RadioShack-Nissan with just five riders in the race.
Britain's Bradley Wiggins currently leads the race for Sky, which has so far managed to avoid losing any riders to the illness.
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