MNN - Mother Nature Network

A stray dog is one of the peloton's biggest fears and Belgian ace Philippe Gilbert became its latest victim on the 18th stage of the Tour de France.

 

Gilbert, who wore the yellow jersey for race leader last year, was among several riders brought down in a spill at the 120 km mark of the 226 km stage from Blagnac to Brive-la-Gaillarde as the animal wandered across the road.

 

Holding his leg and his arm and in apparent pain, the BMC team rider eventually got back on his bike to resume racing while being given treatment by in-race medical staff.

 

But not before giving the dog's owners a piece of his mind.

 

Gilbert limped over to remonstrate with them and moments later he almost suffered another mishap when a Katusha team car that had been caught up in the melee almost hit the Belgian as it tried to squeeze past.

 

BMC team manager John Lelangue said: "His hand has been injured a little as well as his elbow and knee.

 

"The dog was stronger than him and it won that bout but the important thing is that he could return to his place in the peloton."

 

Although still with their full roster of nine riders, BMC are licking their wounds three days from Paris after their defending yellow jersey champion Cadel Evans dropped to nearly 10 minutes behind race leader Bradley Wiggins on Thursday.

 

Wiggins, of Team Sky, is set to become Britain's first yellow jersey champion on Sunday.

 

Copyright 2012  AFP Global Edition