[Baynative]

"Cancellara was whisked off to the hospital for a CT scan shortly after he crossed the finish line of the crash-marred stage three at the Tour de France, and hours later the news confirmed the worst: two transverse process fractures in two vertebrae bones of the lower back," the statement read.

It is the identical injury he sustained in E3 Harelbeke last March, but this time the L3 and L4 vertebrae on the right side were the culprits, not the L2 and L3 on the left side he injured in Harelbeke."

1. This is going to make his later years in life uncomfortable, if not painful.
2. His team had one job today - PROTECT THEIR LEADER WEARING YELLOW! - Where the hell were they and why was he that far back in the pack on a sprinters stage this early in the Tour?

[al_c]

I was afraid his injuries were going to knock him out. He looked like he was in a lot of pain after that spill.

[Vision]

Wow. I’m a day behind, just finished watching stage 2 via dvr. So sad.

[Eric Roelfsema]

Looks like we are getting a multi pelaton situation again right now before the first section of cobbles. I think I saw 3 or 4 groups.

Unfortunate for Cancellara to have to withdraw as well as Dumoulin. Laurens Ten Dam in the wreck had dislocated his shoulder, but the doctors put in back in place.