Last updated on .From the section Sport

Simon Yates finished third in the British National Championships

Britain's Simon Yates has been withdrawn from the Tour de France after 15 stages of the 21-stage race.

Orica GreenEdge drafted in Yates on 1 July after Daryl Impey was suspended following a failed drugs test.

"After an impressive debut, Simon Yates will head home to recover, destined for more great things to come," tweeted the 21-year-old's Australia-based team.

Team Sky's Geraint Thomas is the only British rider left in the race, which finishes on Sunday in Paris.

Enjoying the break "Getting in the break on Saturday's cooler second day in the Alps was brilliant. I was getting a good buzz off all the British fans out on the road cheering me on and I even heard a 'boyo' at one point. It almost felt like we were back in Yorkshire." Read Geraint Thomas's blog

Thomas rode alongside Yates in a 17-man break on Saturday's 13th stage, and told BBC Sport he had been impressed by the rider who finished third in the British National Championships before the Tour.

"He's a talented guy and it was exciting for British cycling to see him up there in his second break on his first Tour," said Thomas.

Yates's team director Matt White admitted prior to the race it "wasn't the plan" to include the 2013 points race world champion on the track in the team for the 2,277-mile Tour, which began in Yorkshire on 5 July.

Monday is a rest day on the Tour before the race resumes with three mountainous stages in the Pyrenees and an individual time trial before Sunday's traditional processional ride into Paris, which will end in a sprint finish on the Champs Elysees.

BBC Sport will have live text commentary of the six remaining stages, with live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra.