In the seventh stage of the Tour de France on Friday, Laurens ten Dam and Lars Petter Nordhaug (Belkin) were both slightly injured in a crash. The injuries were minor, however, and both riders expect to be fit for racing on Saturday as the race enters the Pyrenean mountains. They are ready to help Bauke Mollema in the first stage featuring a summit finish.

“During the spill, I managed to stay upright but another rider crashed into me,” ten Dam said. “After that, I was not all that comfortable on the bike although I could still manage to stay in the first group. I have a small gash on my shin. I’m going to see the osteopath but I am optimistic for tomorrow.”

“Right after the start, I got tangled up in a fall and that was very annoying,” Nordhaug explained. “I injured my hip and wounded my knee but luckily it’s nothing terribly serious. I could still manage to finish in the first group. I hope with help of a good massage and a look from the osteopath to be good to go for tomorrow [Saturday].”

Belkin team leader Bauke Mollema said he felt ready for the first real test of the race after being able to sit in the front group as the pace was enhanced in the effort to drop some sprinters: “My body was still a little stiff from yesterday’s crash, but it’s not a big deal. With some long climbs, the parcours today was rather challenging. Over the last hundred kilometres, the racing was intense in order to drop some sprinters but I could maintain the pace very well. Tomorrow is the first real test for the classification guys and I am feeling up to it.”