Mass crash on Tour forces organizers to briefly halt Stage 14. Pogacar, Vingegaard escape unscathed #Mass #crash #Tour #forces #organizers #briefly #halt #Stage #Pogacar #Vingegaard #escape #unscathed

ANNEMASSE, France (AP) — Spanish rider Antonio Pedrero was evacuated by ambulance following a mass pile-up that briefly halted the 14th stage of the Tour de France soon after the start on Saturday.

Louis Meintjes, who was 13th overall, hit the ground and abandoned with a suspected broken collarbone. His Intermarche-Circus-Wanty teammate Adrien Petit got back on his bike with his right leg bandaged.

Dozens of racers crashed on a bend on a slippery road in Annemasse and many received treatment. Organizers decided to neutralize the stage for about 15 minutes. Stage 14 is a tough 152-kilometer (94-mile) trek featuring five climbs in the Alps.

Poland's Michal Kwiatkowski crosses the finish line to win the thirteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 138 kilometers (86 miles) with start in Chatillon-sur-Chalaronne and finish on Grand Colombier pass, France, Friday, July 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Former world champion Michal Kwiatkowski has soloed to the top of the Grand Colombier mountain on the Tour de France and Tadej Pogacar has cut a little more time off Jonas Vingegaard’s lead in the fight for the yellow jersey.

Spain's Pelle Bilbao crosses the finish line to win the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 167 kilometers (104 miles) with start in Vulcania and finish in Issoire, France, Tuesday, July 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Pello Bilbao has sprinted to his first Tour de France stage victory and also gained significant time in the overall standings.

Canada's Michael Woods approaches the finish line to win the ninth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 182.5 kilometers (113.5 miles) with start in Saint-Leonard-de-Noblat and finish in Puy de Dome, France, Sunday, July 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Canadian Michael Woods delivered an impressive solo effort to claim the biggest success of his career at the top of a legendary climb of the Tour de France.

Denmark's Mads Pedersen, left, sprints ahead of Belgium's Jasper Philipsen, right, to win during the eighth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 201 kilometers (125 miles) with start in Libourne and finish in Limoges, France, Saturday, July 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Former world champion Mads Pedersen has claimed a second career stage win at the Tour de France with a big burst of power to win a mass sprint.

Neither of the two race leaders was involved in the crash. Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard leads two-time champion Tadej Pogacar by just nine seconds.