Crash injuries cut short Fabian Cancellara's Tour de France's dream
Top veteran sprinter forced to withdraw after hard fall in mass pile-up early in the race
Fabian Cancellara withdrew from the Tour de France after crashing in the third stage, which was neutralised for about 10 minutes on Monday following a pile-up of some two dozen riders.
FDJ rider William Bonnet of France was put in a neck brace after falling off his cycle when it apparently touched a wheel, and others around him were also brought down in a flurry of flying bikes and bodies.
Just left the hospital with a huge disappointment #TDF2015 is over
Swiss Cancellara, who started the day with the leader's yellow jersey, was one of several top names in the race to hit the tarmac, along with Australian Simon Gerrans and Dutchman Tom Dumoulin who had to abandon the race.
"Just left the hospital with a huge disappointment #TDF2015 is over," Cancellara wrote on his Twitter feed.
His Trek Factory team said he broke two vertebrae in his lower back.
When organisers neutralise part of a stage it means riders must move at minimal pace and no breakaways or time gains can be attempted.
Bonnet was conscious when he was taken away by medical staff on a stretcher.