6 Jul 2010

Wet weather causes choas on second stage of Tour

7:02 am on 6 July 2010

The defending Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, Lance Armstrong and the Schleck brothers escaped with minor injuries after a massive crash in the race's second stage in Belgium.

The quartet fell off their bikes in the descent of the col de Stockeu, some 30 kilometres from the finish, after rain and an oil spill had made the road extremely slippery.

Even race technical director Jean-Francois Pescheux fell on his rear when he got out of his car as the tried to help out a few riders by the side of the road.

Contador suffered some scratches, seven times champion Armstrong had bruises on his right hip and elbow while the Schleck brothers sustained a lot of bruises, according to their Saxo Bank team manager Bjarne Riis.

Wednesday's third stage will feature seven cobbled sectors and could also prove tricky.