Tour de France 2010: The Tour in crashes

Welcome to Rotterdam and the Tour de France Prologue. The Prologue is a time trial, this year over a short 8.9km course which means high speeds. Coupled with the rain in Rotterdam, it was a recipe for disaster. Though surpringly this combination caused only two riders to come a cropper. The first was BMC Racing's Mathias Frank. He slammed into the barriers after his back wheel slipped out from under him as rode over the painted lines whilst speeding around a broad sweeping right hand curve. He ended up with a badly cut lip, a broken right thumb and a torn muscle in his left thigh. His injuries ended his debut Tour before it had really begun Photograph: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images Photograph: Bryn Lennon/guardian.co.uk The other rider to come a cropper in Rotterdam was another debutant, Manuel Cardoso of Portugal. Cardoso was well over half way into the course when he slid off on one of the most technical corners. He avoided the barriers but landed heavily, which resulted in a broken jaw and collarbone. He also is out of the rest of the Tour Photograph: Ian Langsdon/EPA Photograph: Ian Langsdon/guardian.co.uk The sun was out the following day but the change in weather didn't bring a change in fortune for the riders as there were a number of crashes on the stage. Garmin's David Millar, centre, and Liquigas's yellow jersey contender Ivan Basso, sort out their bikes following the first crash of the day which was caused by a dog walking out onto the road Photograph: Nicolas Bouvy/EPA Photograph: Nicolas Bouvy/guardian.co.uk Italy's Mirco Lorenzetto looks in a bit of pain as he receives assistance after crashing on the 223.5 km first stage between Rotterdam and Brussels Photograph: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Joel Saget/guardian.co.uk The most significant crash of the day came just yards from home. Lloyd Mondory was hit from behind by Jurgen Roelandts and in turn he crashed into Tyler Farrar. After getting up off the tarmac Mondory showed his displeasure at the turn off events ... Photograph: Pascal Pavani/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Pascal Pavani/guardian.co.uk ...the French rider grimaces as carries his bike the 200m to the finish line Photograph: Bas Czerwinski/AP Photograph: Bas Czerwinski/guardian.co.uk ... and when you see the size of the graze on his backside you understand just why he was grimacing so much Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images Photograph: Spencer Platt/guardian.co.uk Tyler Farrar's lack of luck continued into the second stage. He came off during a slippery descent in the latter half of the 201km Brussels to Spa stage and looks to be in a whole world of pain. He went off to hospital but was back in the saddle the next day Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images Photograph: Spencer Platt/guardian.co.uk Farrar's bad luck seems to have spread to his team-mate Christian Vande Velde too. The American crashed twice during the stage, the second time ending up in a ditch. During the day Vande Velde managed to break two ribs and is also out of the Tour Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images Photograph: Spencer Platt/guardian.co.uk It's not just bones that have been broken during the tour so far. Here's the discarded bicycle of Christophe Le Mevel, with the rear of the frame broken Photograph: Bas Czerwinski/AP Photograph: Bas Czerwinski/guardian.co.uk Juan Jose Oroz, already covered in bandages, gingerly picks up his bike after another accident Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images Photograph: Spencer Platt/guardian.co.uk It's certainly been a busy Tour for the team medics Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images Photograph: Spencer Platt/guardian.co.uk Even legends can get injured. Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong displays injuries to his hip and his elbow after coming off his bike during a descent. Photograph: Christophe Ena/AP Photograph: Christophe Ena/guardian.co.uk It was thought that Stage Three would offer a day of drama as the 213km stage is contested on the road used for the "Hell of the North" - the Paris-Roubaix, and part of the route is over cobblestones. The riders didn't disappoint Photograph: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Joel Saget/guardian.co.uk David Le Lay is attended to by medics after crashing on the third stage between Wanze in Belgium and Arenberg in France. He is now out of the race with a broken clavicle and elbow Photograph: Fred Mons/pool/EPA Photograph: Fred Mons/pool/guardian.co.uk The cobblestones claim a major victim when Frank Schleck, one of the favourites, crashes and breaks his collarbone Photograph: Joel Saget/pool/EPA Photograph: Joel Saget/pool/guardian.co.uk The dreaded cobblestones claim more victims. Going... Photograph: Eric Gaillard/Reuters Photograph: Eric Gaillard/guardian.co.uk ... going ... Photograph: Eric Gaillard/Reuters Photograph: Eric Gaillard/guardian.co.uk ... gone Photograph: Eric Gaillard/Reuters Photograph: Eric Gaillard/guardian.co.uk