Haussler, (Cervelo) who won a stage in last year’s Tour de France, faces the prospect of missing the Tour.

He was the principal victim of the spill with 50 metres to go. It was caused by Briton’s Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia), who veered into his line.

He was taken to hospital with a deep cut to his right elbow that needed stitching and severe grazing to his right hip, backside and back.

“I didn’t see Cavendish coming,’’ Haussler said.

‘’He drove into my wheel and before I knew it, I went down and was lying on the ground. I could have won the stage.’’

Cavendish was slapped with a 25-point deduction in the sprinters’ competition that Haussler leads and 30 seconds on general classification. He was also fined 200 Swiss francs ($204.70).

Haussler produced it with a stage win with which he also took the points competition lead. But as he begins his recovery, the question is whether he has done enough.

Hausslers arm will be in plaster for a week and he will try to get onto the bike within the next three to four days to try and at least maintain form.

Video has also emerged of Mark Cavendish spitting at Haussler while he was still at the ground.

He repeated the same when riders staged a protest against his reckless riding in yesterdays stage.

During the riders protest he spat at the ground in front of them.