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Dutchman Dumoulin abandons Giro d'Italia

Giant-Alpecin Team rider Tom Dumoulin of the Netherlands competes to win the 17th stage individual time trial of the Vuelta Tour of Spain cycling race in Burgos, Spain, September 9, 2015. REUTERS/Joseba Etxaburu

(Reuters) - Another leading contender for the Giro d'Italia pulled out on Wednesday with Dutchman Tom Dumoulin succumbing to saddle sores. "Unfortunately Tom has been forced to abandon the Giro due to saddle sores," his Giant Alpecin team said on Twitter. On Tuesday Spaniard Mikel Landa of Team Sky abandoned because of illness. Dumoulin won the Giro's opening stage on home soil in Apeldoorn and held the leader's jersey for three stages until losing it on Saturday. He lost more than 10 minutes on Tuesday's stage and climbed off his bike after struggling again during stage 11. (Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Mitch Phillips)