(CNN)Italian cyclist Ivan Basso has been ruled out of the Tour de France halfway through the competition after being diagnosed with testicular cancer.
The 37-year-old, who races for Russian-owned Tinkoff-Saxo as a teammate of former champion Alberto Contador, announced his withdrawal during an emotional press conference on Monday, shortly after receiving the diagnosis from a doctor.
"For a few days I felt a small pain," he said in Pau, France, the site of the tour's first rest day. "Yesterday our doctor spoke with the doctor of the Tour and we decided to go to make a special analysis to the hospital."
"The examination gave me bad news; I have a small cancer in the left testicle," he said.
Photos: Tour de France 2015: Huge crash mars stage 3
Photos: Tour de France 2015: Huge crash mars stage 3
After Sunday's rain and brutal crosswinds, the sun made a welcome return for the 159.5-kilometer route from Anvers to Huy in Belgium. But stage three of this year's Tour de France proved to be anything but plain sailing.
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Photos: Tour de France 2015: Huge crash mars stage 3
There was 65 kilometers of the stage to go when a high-speed crash took out around 20 riders. The pile up caused the race to be stopped ("neutralized") temporarily allowing those involved in the collision time to recover and rejoin the peleton. The accident was one of the worst in the tour's history.
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Photos: Tour de France 2015: Huge crash mars stage 3
Riders and their bikes lay in crumpled heaps for several minutes as team and race officials rushed to their aid.
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Photos: Tour de France 2015: Huge crash mars stage 3
Overnight leader Fabian Cancellara was thrown over his handlebars. The Swiss rider fractured his back earlier in the season but managed to get back on his bike and struggle manfully to the finish. Others were unable to continue. William Bonnet of France, Dutch rider Tom Dumoulin, Australia's Simon Gerrans and Dmitry Kozontchuk of Russia were all forced to retire from the race. Cancellara would later withdraw himself after it was revealed he had suffered another fractured vertebrae.
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Photos: Tour de France 2015: Huge crash mars stage 3
French rider William Bonnet lies battered, bloodied and bruised at the roadside following the crash. A subsequent trip to hospital revealed that he also had a fractured vertebrae.
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Photos: Tour de France 2015: Huge crash mars stage 3
Spain's Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver, rider for Team Katusha went on to win the stage ...
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Photos: Tour de France 2015: Huge crash mars stage 3
... while Germany's Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) took possession of the green (sprinter's) jersey.
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Photos: Tour de France 2015: Huge crash mars stage 3
But it was Team Sky's Chris Froome who finished as overall leader. The Briton, who won the tour in 2013, leads Germany's Tony Martin by a second with U.S. rider Tejay Van Garderen lying third, 13 seconds behind Froome.
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Team doctor Piet De Moor confirmed the diagnosis.
"On stage five of the Tour de France, Basso suffered from a minor crash in which his left testicle was slightly injured," he said via a statement on the team's website.
"As the pain persisted, a lump was discovered and following further examination on Monday morning at the hospital in Pau, the presence of a tumor was confirmed."
Teammate Contador was visibly emotional at Basso's side during the press conference.
"We never imagined such a thing would happen," Contador said. "Ivan's health is the absolute priority and he has to undergo all the necessary tests to find the best solution. I'd like to stress that the entire team will give its best in order to get the yellow jersey and enjoy it in Paris with him."
Well wishers flooded Twitter with messages of support for Basso, most notably cylcing stars including testicular cancer survivors Markel Irizar and Lance Armstrong -- who famously conquered the disease at age 25, despite catching it in its third stage.
"During the 120 days that Ivan and I spent together, over the last 180 days, I was able to see what a great champion he is," added Contador. "I'm sure he will overcome this and we will see him in two weeks in Paris."
Basso won the Giro d'Italia in 2006 and 2010, his greatest triumphs to date.
Contador is one of the favorites for this year's Tour and he currently trails leader Chris Froome by one minute and three seconds.
But Tinkoff-Saxo's Head Sport Director Steven de Jongh insisted that Basso's health is the team's primary concern, although they hope to honor him by helping Contador to victory in Paris on July 26.
"As everybody understands, today is not a day to speak about the Tour de France, the days ahead or Alberto's main rivals on the mount stages. All that is irrelevant and we are all here solely to support Ivan," said De Jongh.
"The entire team hopes to meet him again in Paris and hand him the yellow jersey."
