An update on the crash and abandonments today, from CyclingNews.com:

Rik Verbrugghe will have to rest for a full six months after breaking his femur in a bad crash during today’s 14th stage to Gap. The break was a complex one, and Verbrugghe had to undergo an operation on Sunday evening in Gap. He will be transferred to another hospital in a few days.

I’ve still not seen the crash first-hand (was out of town in a hotel without OLN - the nerve! - for the weekend), but if he broke his femur, I can only imagine how bad it was. Also involved in the same crash were Matthias Kessler (T-Mobile) and David Cañada (Saunier Duval Prodir). While Kessler was able to walk away from it, Cañada wasn’t so lucky. Also from CyclingNews.com:

David Cañada worked hard to get into an important six-man break and looked good to chase a stage win, but was one of three riders to crash heavily 40 kilometres from the end. The fall came when the riders went around a 90 degree right turn, with melting tar and an uneven road surface causing Cañada, Rik Verbrugghe (Cofidis) and Matthias Kessler (T-Mobile) to come down. Kessler and Verbrugghe both went over the safety barrier and while the German was relatively unhurt and able to continue, the Belgian suffered bad cuts and broke his right femur. Cañada was also badly hurt, hitting the road and breaking his collarbone. The Tour de Catalunya winner was therefore forced to abandon the race, going from a potential stage-winning situation to the ambulance in a matter of minutes.