2010 Tour de France Photos

After just four stages and one prologue, this year's edition of the Tour de France has turned into a crash fest. A sampling of photos of the world's most famous bike race.

American cyclist Christian VandeVelde, 34, of team Garmin-Transitions is viewed after a crash along stage 2 in Spa, Belgium. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Juan Jose Oroz of Euskaltel-Euskadi is viewed after a crash along stage 2 in Spa, Belgium. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Garmin-Transitions' Tyler Farrar of the U.S sits on the road after a crash in the second stage from Brussels to Spa. (Bogdan Cristel/REUTERS)

France's Lloyd Mondory (C) gestures after crashing near the finish line in Brussels at the end of the 223,5 km and first stage. (Pascal Pavani/AFP Photo)

AG2R rider Lloyd Mondory of France walks to cross the finish line after he fell in the first stage from Rotterdam to Brussels. (Eric Gaillard/REUTERS)

Italy's Mirco Lorenzetto (L) receives assistance after crashing in the 223,5 km and first stage between Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Brussels (Belgium). (Joel Saget/AFP Photo)

The pack rides as riders crash during the 213 km and third stage between Wanze and Arenberg. (Joel Saget/AFP Photo)

Milram rider Linus Gerdemann of Germany (C) falls on a cobblestone sector during the third stage between Wanze and Arenberg-Porte Du Hainaut. (Eric Gaillard/REUTERS)

Riders fall on the cobblestones during the third stage between Wanze and Arenberg-Porte Du Hainaut. (Eric Gaillard/REUTERS)

Riders fall on the cobblestones during the third stage between Wanze and Arenberg-Porte Du Hainaut. (Eric Gaillard/REUTERS)

Cervelo rider Andreas Klier of Germany (L) falls on the cobblestones during the third stage between Wanze and Arenberg-Porte Du Hainaut. (Eric Gaillard/REUTERS)

Jens Voigt of Germany, sits next to his injured teammate Frank Schleck of Luxembourg, after he crashed on a cobblestone section during the third stage.(Fred Mons/AP Photo)

Riders fall during the first stage from Rotterdam to Brussels. (Bogdan Cristel/REUTERS)

Riders fall during the first stage from Rotterdam to Brussels. (Bogdan Cristel/REUTERS)

Footon-Serveto rider Manuel Cardoso cycles after his fall during the 8.9km prologue in Rotterdam. (Eric Gaillard/REUTERS)

Footon-Serveto rider Manuel Cardoso cycles after his fall during the 8.9km prologue in Rotterdam. (Eric Gaillard/REUTERS)

BMC rider Mathias Frank of Switzerland cycles after his fall during the 8.9km prologue in Rotterdam. (Eric Gaillard/REUTERS)

Luxembourg's Frank Schleck rides after crashing in the 201 km and second stage between Brussels and Spa. (Joel Saget/AFP Photo)

Radioshack's Lance Armstrong cycles on a cobblestone road during the third stage between Wanze and Arenberg-Porte Du Hainaut. (Joel Saget/REUTERS)

A close-up picture shows the bandage on the elbow of US Lance Armstrong as he attends the signature ceremony in Wanze, in the Meuse valley, before the start of the 213 km and third stage. Lionel Bonaventure/AFP Photo)

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong of the US, right, looks at his opponent and 2009 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador of Spain, as they ride in the pack during the third stage. (Bas Czerwinski/AP Photo)

Comments

[Jim Van Horne]

Almost as bad as cycling the streets of Toronto!!!

[rider 44]

Go Lance!!

[Al p]

you've got to be as hard as nails to get through a road race and even tougher to get through 3 weeks worth of daily racing........ great photos!

[bernie]

Amazing Photos! This is one of the hardest competitions in the world and there's such a lack of coverage on it in Canada. Thanks for the Pics!

[Carlos Patricio]

I would just like to mention that Manuel Cardoso from Footon-Servetto is a Portuguese cyclist. I guess Cristiano Ronaldo could take a lesson on toughness from his fellow countryman...

[Ray]

The one picture of the Schleck brother with road rash is Frank and not Andy. Who now has with drawn from the race due to a broken collar bone.

[Laura Campbell]

Lack of coverage is certainly correct. It's a real shame, especially when you have 2 Canadians in the race! I urge Canadian cyclists and followers of the Tour, to send their comments to OLN and Rogers, so this won't happen next year.It's simple - just go to OLN website and post a comment.

I agree - great Photos. Kudos to The Star.
Laura

[Tom]

Most incredible display of endurance, toughness, heroism, tragedy, beauty and pain you will ever see in sport. And OLN
airs mantracker instead. Nice.

[Paul Kotyk]

Why is it that the only time the Canadian Press posts anything cycling related, it involves people getting hurt?

[Stella]

Andy Schleck....eat something please ;-)

[johnny j]

4th from last is really Frank Schleck and not Andy. Great pics. Its a shame about the lack of coverage. Especially with the only Cdn (OLN) channel airing only once and no primetime

[Jen]

Very cool photos! Echoing how sad it is that there's little coverage. Funny, these photos are on the site but there's no new of who won today or yesterday's stage. :(

[ToeDeep]

sweet shots keep them coming

[socialamigo]

Great collection of photos and just more testimony to the fact that:

1) Bicycling is a tough sport (behind hockey, of course).
2) Advertisers state-side are clueless when it comes to a riveting sporting event.
3) LeBron James will never be considered an athlete in the same fashion as any of these guys in the Tour de France no matter what he does, who he signs with, championships he does/doesn't win, Olympic basketball medals he collects, money he donates. The simple fact is the TDF is a major -WORLD- sporting event, not a manufactured world championship that is incredibly inclusive and can only be described as grueling by anyone passionate about sports.
4) the phrase "he's a hockey player" when describing someone who plays hurt has lost some of its meaning for me during this year's TDF.

[Andy W]

Why are people saying that 4th from last is Frank Schleck, not Andy ?
- t'other way round : the caption says it's Frank, but the picture is Andy !

Whoever it was who says Andy needs to eat something - hear ! hear !
I'll never make a climber, I don't think I can starve myself down to having legs like that.

[daniel]

great picks they should show them to the soccer players get up and go instead of rolling a round on the ground

[ResilientMichae]

Great pictures indeed! Very resiient behaviour!

[Brian Smith]

Your photo coverage of the tour makes cycling look like a trash talking crash-up derby. Would you only display images of fights and broken noses during the NHL payoffs? Oh wait, nevermind....

[Brian Spooner]

Great photos. All the tours are exceptionally difficult. When you race day in day out for 3 weeks this says a lot about the bike racer.