Tour de France crashes - in pictures

Stage nine of the Tour will be remembered for this cringe-inducing crash which left Johnny Hoogerland bearing numerous scars (as well as his backside). Hoogerland somersaulted through the air before being flung into a barbed-wire fence Photograph: Lionel Bonaventure/AFP/Getty Images

The driver of a French TV vehicle caused the incident. Not only did his wild overtaking manoeuvre skittle Hoogerland, but it left Spain's Juan Antonio Flecha on the deck with his bike in pieces too Photograph: Lionel Bonaventure/AFP/Getty Images

Hoogerland drips with blood as he tries to free himself from the fence Photograph: Reuters

Jurgen Van den Broeck had to be carted away after an earlier crash on stage nine. The Belgian looked worse for wear after his high-speed crash Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Kazakhstan's Alexandre Vinokourov also had to be ferried off in an ambulance after launching himself head-first down a ravine during the same 208km stage
Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Vinokourov broke his leg in the fall Photograph: Guillaume Horcajuelo/EPA

Frederik Willems was also injured in the incident – a damaged shoulder ultimately ending his Tour Photograph: Stefano Rellandini/Reuters

Quick Step cycling's Tom Boonen showed his mettle after clambering back onto his bike following another racing incident Photograph: Guillaume Horcajuelo/EPA

And that wasn't it for the day. Garmin-Cervelo rider David Zabriskie earned himself a visit from the medic after relinquishing control of his bicycle and breaking a wrist Photograph: Guillaume Horcajuelo/EPA

Radioshack rider Janez Brajkovic suffered a gashed head and concussion after taking a tumble at high-speed on stage five of the Tour Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

He wasn't the only one left bloodied on stage five. Dutch cyclist Juan Manuel Garate shaved off a few layers of skin as well Photograph: Koen Van Weel/EPA

This rider hadn't even started the stage when this snap was taken Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

Britain's Bradley Wiggins couldn't escape the carnage at this year's Tour. He flipped over during the 218km stage from Le Mans to Chateauroux Photograph: Christophe Ena/AP

An ambulance crew shipped Wiggins away from the scene with a cracked collarbone. That ended his aspirations for another year Photograph: Christophe Ena/AP

France's Vincent Jerome narrowly avoids being run over after falling from his ride on the first stage. Needless to say there was a mass pile-up Photograph: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images