American sprinter Tyler Farrar crashed in the final kilometer of the sprint on Friday at the Vuelta a Espana.
The setback must be disappointing to the world-class sprinter raised in Wenatchee, Washington, as it's one of the few chances for a sprint victory at this year's bike race.
Marcel Kittel (Ger) Skil – Shimano won the stage, and Sylvain Chavanel (France) Quickstep retained the overall lead.
The crash occurred as the sprinters sorted themselves out on the approach to the finish in Talavera de la Reina. Farrar was perfectly situated in 5th or 6th place when it appears he and Michal Golas (Vacansoleil) crossed paths. At least a half dozen cyclists went down.
The crash essentially blocked the road as the peloton had to pick its way through they fallen comrades.
Farrar and Golas were able to get back on their bikes and finish the stage.
Farrar's Garmin-Cervelo team had gone to the front of the peloton at times during Friday's Stage 7, a 113-mile bike race that started in Almaden.
Cross-winds complicated the race and threatened to cause a major split in the peloton. A four man breakaway was swept up within about 5 miles to the finish.
Farrar has four individual wins this year, including Stage 3 of the Tour de France which he dedicated to his Belgian cycling companion, Wouter Weylandt, who died at the Giro d'Italia.
Farrar's main rival in the peloton, Mark Cavendish, abandoned the race earlier this week.
Farrar makes his home in Ghent, Belgium.
Update: Team manager Jonathan Vaughters says Farrar wants to start on Saturday, but the decision will be up to his doctors.
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