Dan Martin’s Garmin-Sharp team have endured more than most in the opening week of the Tour de France but matters worsened yesterday when their team manager Jonathan Vaughters was taken to task before the stage start in Rouen about reports in a Dutch newspaper that some of his riders had received six-month bans after confessing to doping.

Team Garmin-Transitions leader Christian Vande Velde has been ruled out of the Tour de France following yesterday’s day of destruction from Brussels to Spa.

THE Tour de France peloton met a second day of destruction as rain-soaked roads wreaked havoc on the second stage from Brussels to Spa yesterday.

The Tour de France peloton met a second day of destruction as rain-soaked roads wreaked havoc on the second stage from Brussels to Spa.

Wet weather contributed to another tumultuous day as the Tour de France visited spring classics country in Belgium today.