Some of it had to do with the rain and oil slick. The cobblestones were/are wicked.
It is interesting to watch some of the team strategies on this type of stage.
A couple of teams have sent riders across to the breakaway group with the purpose of joining them but not helping the, - sort of a slow them down and sabotage their gap.
Meanwhile wthe peleton has slowed perceptably allowing Cancellara and other s to catch back up.
Sorry, I misunderstood; thought you were talking about this Stage in particular.
Those initial stages were never meant to be difficult, but the weather had other ideas. All those crashes have cast a pall on the first week. I suspect that there will be a few more withdrawals once riders realize that their wounds aren’t healing fast enough.