Prologue - crashes occurred on this short-length individual time trial, held on the rain-slicked roads of Rotterdam.
A Footon-Servetto rider, after crashing in the Prologue.
Stage 1 (Rotterdam to Brussels) - three pileups occur in the last 1000m, the first of which was caused by Mark Cavendish (who apparently can only ride his bike in a straight line, and even that is questionable).
Pileup at a sharp right-hand bend with 1k to go.
Stage 2 (Brussels to Spa) - Major crash occurs on descent from category 3 climb, on rain- and oil-slicked road about 15ft wide. General Classification contender and USA rider Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Transitions) is forced to abandon after completing the stage. Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) encourages entire peloton to sit up and cross finish line together, a form of protest to organizers about race conditions.
Garmin-Transitions rider Tyler Farrar, picking himself up off the ground. In the rain.
Stage 3 (Wanze - Arenberg Porte du Hainaut) - A course typically reserved for the 'spring classics', such as Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix, multiple casualties occur on seven distinct cobblestone sections, furthering the ire drawn on most riders about this particular stage. Statistics showed that nearly half the peloton starting the stage had no previous experience racing cobblestones...17 kilometers of them proved to be decisive on the day. Crash of significance took out GC contender Frank Schleck (Saxo Bank). Also, it appears people are getting a little 'testy' out there on the bicycles. Let's just be friends, mmmkay?
Saxo Bank rider Frank Schleck, with a collarbone that is now in three pieces.
Stage 4 - didn't seem like anything of note, but I haven't watched the stage...yet.
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