2011 Tour de France: Crashes Cut Down Two American Teams, Two Keep On

The story of the first week of the 2011 Tour de France can be told in one word: Crash.

U.S. TEAM LEADER: Cadel Evans, here holding off Alberto Contador to win Stage Four, is the best hope to lead an American team to victory in the 2011 Tour de France. Pascal Pavani/AFP/Getty Images

As the 2011 Tour de France is about to head into the Pyrenees to start its second week, the story of its first week can be told in a single word: Crash.

Stages One, Five, Six, and Seven and Nine saw riders with strong GC possibilities crash; many retired. Many of these crashes involved a dozen or more riders.