Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) was one of the riders who got caught up in the major crash.

“It was a difficult day, but this is the Tour de France. Sometimes you avoid the falls and sometimes not, is a lottery, you do not know whether it will happen, if on the left or on the right. Today I had bad luck and I hope it's nothing serious,” said Alberto Contador after receiving the first attention of the team medical staff in the team bus.

“I have both sides touched”, continued the leader of Saxo-Tinkoff, “but I think it will be superficial, and I hope it stays there. Now, it's time to put on a lot of ice and recover on the following stages for the team time trial, to see if I have any problem putting my elbows on the handlebars.”

When asked if he had sustained any fracture, Alberto said it was too early to tell, “But I don't think so. I have a sharp blow on my left shoulder and right knee, but I hope it stays there. Now I'll be uncomfortable on the bike, but it’s still a long way to go to Paris. We knew that the time for today’s stage would the same for all of us and, as far as that goes, I remained calm because I broke a shoe and could not pedal.”

Contador refused to blame anyone for what happened. "We all want to be in front. I think someone from behind caused me to crash, if not, I might have escaped. Sometimes it catches one and sometimes it doesn’t. Now it is important to continue as if I had not fallen, to sleep as best I can and tomorrow will be another day.”