Crash leaves Levi bruised but OK

<p>VITTEL, France — Levi Leipheimer crashed in the final two miles of the 12th stage of the Tour de France on Thursday, but retained his fourth overall position despite suffering multiple contusions and road rash.</p><p>Leipheimer, who trails race leader Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2R) of Italy by 39 seconds in the race’s 96th edition, fell after hitting a curb and bruised his upper and lower back, right shoulder and right wrist. He also has extensive road rash.</p><p>“My wrist hurts, but surprisingly I’m OK,” said Leipheimer of Santa Rosa, one of four Astana riders currently in top six in the general classification. “It could have been much worse.”</p><p>Riding in the main field, about six minutes behind eventual stage winner Nicki Sorensen (Saxo-Bank) of Denmark in the 131.4-mile stage from Torrenne, Leipheimer was inside the final three-kilometer (1.8-miles) barricade section of the course.</p><p>For safety reasons, riders crashing within the final three kilometers are given the same time as their group finishing time. Leipheimer and the rest of the main field, including others who crashed near the finish, were 5:58 behind Sorensen.</p><p>“I was a bit surprised by a left corner and lost my tire,” said Leipheimer who earned his second Tour de France win as part of Astana’s winning time trial team in stage 4. “I was sliding and I couldn’t quite save my bike from sliding out. I slid out and hit the curb.”</p><p>Early in the 12th stage, Leipheimer was among a group that strategically went to the front of the field. But the advantage didn’t last long.</p><p>“We were just staying in the front,” said Leipheimer. “And Schleck jumped, so I knew I had to go with him, and later I saw that we were alone in the group, like 20 riders. It didn’t last very long, though.”</p><p>Leipheimer, who finished third in the 2007 Tour de France and is competing in the event for the seventh time, will ride in stage 13 Friday in the event’s first climbing stage in several days.</p><p>The 200-kilometer (124.3-mile) journey from Vittel to Colmar will include two category 1 climbs, riding conducive to Leipheimer’s skills.</p><p>“I will be uncomfortable tomorrow, definitely,” said Leipheimer.</p><p>The Tour de France continues through July 26 with its traditional finish in Paris.</p>