HUY , Belgium, July 7 (UPI) — Joaquim Rodriguez won the accident-marred third stage of the Tour de France bicycle race, which was stopped for nearly 20 minutes after a 20-rider pileup.
Midway through the 99-mile stage in Belgium from Antwerp to Huy on Monday, French rider William Bonnet’s bicycle wobbled and fell, beginning a chain-reaction crash of about 20 riders. The main contenders on the Tour evaded the accident, although the yellow-jerseyed race leader, Fabian Cancellara, was among the victims of the accident.
After finishing the stage, Cancelerra retired from the race, having two fractured vertebrae.
The race was stopped in part so fallen riders could catch up, and because many of the doctors on duty remained at the accident scene, leaving the rest of the race unsafe. The incident occurred on flat terrain, before the cyclists faced four sharp climbs in the stage.
This was an exceptional decision due to exceptional circumstances,” said race director Christian Prudhomme.
“All our ambulances and medical vehicles were mobilized at the back of the race because of the crashes. The riders at the front would have been without assistance if we had not stopped the peloton (close-quartered racers).”
Bonnet left the accident on a stretcher, wearing a neck brace. Rider Tom Dumoulin, in third place, also left the race with undisclosed injuries.
The stage was neutralized with a re-start at the top of the first climb and with 31 miles to go.
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