Voeckler will not start the Tour Down Under, which begins on January 21, after he broke his right collarbone when he struck a stationary car on Wednesday, while out riding with his Team Europcar teammates in Adelaide's beachside of Glenelg.
The crash cut the French veteran's trip to Australia short, as the 34-year-old had only arrived in Adelaide on Wednesday morning and will now fly back to his home country on Thursday.
"When we went out training this morning and a pedestrian crossed the road so a car braked very quickly and I didn't have time to brake so I bumped into the car," Voeckler said.
"I immediately knew that my collarbone was broken as it's the third time I have broken it.
"After (the crash) thanks to the organisers we went immediately to the hospital and the x-ray showed it was broken so I have to go back to France and the hospital and see how much time it takes to get on the bike again."
Voeckler had only just returned to training after fracturing the same bone in April and was clearly frustrated by the setback, which prevented him from making his maiden appearance at the Tour Down Under.
"It's been 12 days since the other plate was removed and it was okay but I must not crash on it," the Team Europcar rider said.
"There was a small risk and it's the first time in my career, 14th year as a professional, first time in my career I hit a car in training...that's the way it is, it's a pity.
"When it's during a race you say to yourself it's your job there are risks but when it's stupid like this morning I crashed into a car, it's not the car's fault but it's a stupid crash, a really stupid crash but that happens sometimes - this time it happened to me."
Team Europcar has no plans to replace Voeckler in their line-up for the South Australia-based six-stage race.
"Today the whole team is very disappointed that Thomas has had to give up before the start of the race," manager Andy Flickinger said.
"It's terrible for us because we were happy to be here in Australia and to participate in the race and we feel terrible for the organiser."
The veteran French rider started his professional career in 2003 and has won the polka dot jersey at the Tour de France in 2012 as the leader of the mountains classification, while he also has four stage wins to his name in cycling's most famous race.