Devistating Losses in the Tour

The Tour so far has been one big crash. So far, 18 riders have withdrawn including many potential winners.

Here are the riders, which stage the pulled out on, and why.

Stage 9:
Wout Poels (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team – illness
Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha Team
Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana – crash, broken head of the femur                                                                                                   David Zabriskie (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo – crash, broken wrist                                                                                                                               Frederik Willems (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto – crash, broken collarbone
Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto – crash, collapsed lung, three broken ribs and broken shoulder blade
Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi – crash, broken collarbone
Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team – crash on stage 5, arm and hip injuries

Stage 8:

Beñat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team – crash on stage 1, broken radius bone (elbow)
Christopher Horner (USA) Team RadioShack – crash on stage 7, head trauma, broken nose

Stage 7:
Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling – crash, broken collarbone
Tom Boonen (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team – crash on stage 5, injured shoulder
Rémi Pauriol (Fra) FDJ – crash, broken collarbone

Stage 6:
Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Movistar Team
Iván Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi – crash, broken collarbone

Stage 5:
Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team RadioShack – crash, broken collarbone
hristophe Kern (Fra) Team Europcar – knee tendonitis

Stage 4:
Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto – crash on stage 1, shoulder injury

It is really sad that a lot of the favorites are out so soon. Hopefully, they can all return to racing soon when they recover from their injuries