The Tour de France peloton fell victim to nail-throwing spectators during the mountainous 14th stage, causing dozens of punctures at the front of the field.
A couple of spectators had been thrown nails on to the road on the final, steep stretch leading to the summit of the Mur de Peguere climb, 38km from the finish.
Rider Andreas Kloden had to get off his bike just before the summit where he was given a bike by a teammate.
Australian Cadel Evans, the 2011 champion, appeared to be one of the big victims of the incident.
He had to wait at the summit for a wheel change for nearly two minutes and changed wheels again on the descent.
Luckily for the BMC rider, the Sky team of race leader Bradley Wiggins sat up and waited, allowing Evans and other riders to get back on to the peloton.
Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez won the stage.
