Levi Leipheimer crosses the finish line after being involved in a crash during the final kilometres of stage 12. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Levi Leipheimer has been forced to abandon the Tour de France after breaking his wrist in a crash on stage 12 of the race on Thursday.

Cyclingnews spoke to an Astana's press officer, Phillipe Maertens, who confirmed that Leipheimer would not start stage 13 on Friday.

"He wasn't too bad last night but this morning, the pain was too much," he said. We took him to the hospital in Vittel, where scans revealed a transversal fracture of the scaphoid bone of the wrist. He is still in hospital now. He will certainly want to go home as soon as possible, but we haven't organised a flight yet."

Leipheimer sustained the injury in a crash 2.5 kilometres from the finish of stage 12 into Vittel. The Astana rider, who was in fourth place on GC, described the incident after completing the stage. "I was a bit surprised by a left corner and my tire was sliding. I couldn't quite save my bike from sliding out...so I slid out and hit the curb."

Cadel Evans of Silence-Lotto was also involved in the crash, but came away relatively unscathed. "My knee hurt. So instead of taking the bus to the hotel, I rode my bike," said Evans. "It was only four kilometers but enough to feel that there is no problem with the knee."

A disappointed Leipheimer, 35, confirmed the news on his Twitter account on Friday morning: "My wrist is broken. I can't describe how disappointed I am" read the post.