CCTV9英语新闻：2014环法自行车赛

CCTV9英语新闻：2014环法自行车赛

Chaos and carnage rained down on the Tour de France, as defending champion Chris Froome crashed out of the race in Stage Five, from Ypres to Arenberg Porte du Hainaut.

Stage winner Lars Boom of The Netherlands, right, and Peter Sagan of Slovakia, left, pass over a cobblestone sector during the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 155 kilometers (96.3 miles) with start in Ypres, Belgium, and finish in Arenberg, France, Wednesday, July 9, 2014.

29-year-old Froome tumbled to the tarmac on Tuesday’s fourth stage, damaging his wrist. The Briton crashed early on the route, before a second crash with around 70 kilometres remaining saw him end his defense.

Froome was not the only rider to be unseated on a difficult day. Marcel Kittel of Giant-Shimano - the winner of three of the opening four stages - also took a spill.

In what was perhaps the day’s most visually dramatic crash, Belgium’s Jurgen van den Broeck went hurtling over his handlebars, in a bend on a cobblestone patch.

Lars Boom, the Dutch Belkin Pro Cycling rider, won in three hours, 18 minutes, and 35 seconds. Overall leader Vincenzo Nibali was another who crashed - but picked himself up to finish third in the stage.

After Stage Five, Nibali retains the yellow leader’s jersey with Jakob Fuglsang just a mere two seconds behind. And Cannondale rider Peter Sagan of Slovakia is third, 44 seconds back.