That year , he also finished fifth in the early season Paris-Nice stage race , and ninth in the world championship , but he abandoned the Tour de LOCATION@1 on stage NUMBER@1 , affected by a knee injury .

That year he also finished 5th in the `` Race to the Sun '' - the MISC@1 stage race , and 9th in the world championship , but he abandoned the Tour de LOCATION@1 on stage NUMBER@1 , because of an earlier knee injury .
