Tour stage nine marred by crashes

Team Sky’s Juan Antonio Flecha and Vacansoleil’s Johnny Hoogerland were today wiped out by a television vehicle as an incident-packed Tour de France suffered further casualties in the Massif Central.

Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank) won the 208-kilometre ninth stage from Issoire to Saint-Flour, with Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) five seconds behind in second - assuming the yellow jersey from Thor Hushovd in the process – and Sandy Casar (FDJ) third, 13 seconds adrift.