Chris Froome crashes in Critérium du Dauphiné but retains lead

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jun/13/chris-froome-crashes-criterium-du-dauphine-stage-six

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Chris Froome suffered a painful fall in the sixth stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné but did not lose any time thanks to the sportsmanship of the other riders.

Froome suffered bruises and grazes to his left elbow, hip and shoulder after he hit a hole in the road and came off on a descent 8km from the end of the stage from Grenoble to Poisy. However, the Team Sky rider retained his 12-second overall lead over Alberto Contador and Wilco Kelderman after the pack waited for him to catch up.

Jan Bakelants won his first stage for the Omega Pharma-Quick Step team after a gruelling two-man sprint for the line with Astana’s Lieuwe Westra.

“There was a bit of a crash in the final there,” Froome said. “It’s quite painful, but I was OK to finish the stage, I’m just a little bit grazed for tomorrow. [Injuries are to] the hip, elbow, shoulder …

“I just want to thank the other riders for neutralising the race. It was big of them, and showed good sportsmanship.

“I’m not too sure what happened. It was on a descent, there was a bit of a hole in road. I hit the hole, and lost my front wheel.”