06-Jul-2011: At about 10 km before the feed-zone Sylvain Chavanel fell hard on his right side, ending up off road and dislocating the acromion-clavicular joint in his right shoulder. 

"In the fall I also hit my head and broke my helmet” Chavanel says. “The consequences could have been much worse. Tomorrow morning I’m lining up for the start as usual, but it’s obvious that tomorrow I can look forward to a day of suffering." 

At about 70 km from the arrival it was Boonen, Steegmans, Ciolek and Engels who bit the asphalt. The four guys were pedalling close together when someone ahead of them took a fall and they all ended up on the ground.

"To avoid the riders ahead of me I braked but my front wheel touched another athlete’s back wheel” Boonen says .“I flew over my bike in an endo and I fell, hitting my head and the right side of my body. My helmet busted on impact."

In the fall Boonen suffered a series of abrasions to his shoulder, elbow and right gluteus, which is sporting a rather deep cut. 

"After the first few minutes of shock I got back on my bike and I wanted to finish the stage” continues Boonen. “I have to thank Engels for his support. Alone I would have risked ending up outside of the maximum time. Now all I only want to recover some Energy from tomorrow."

Boonen will be starting tomorrow’s stage.

In the fall Gert Steegmans took some scrapes to his knee and his left shoulder. The Belgian rider is also suffering from pain in his left wrist. Steegmans will line up for the start tomorrow. 

Kevin De Weert also fell with Contador in a stretch about 100 km from the arrival, fortunately without any consequences.