Alex Dowsett suffers nasty injury on cobbles and finishes last

Alex Dowsett is expected to start stage five of the 2015 Tour de France despite crashing hard on a spectacular stage four over the cobbles and crossing the line dead last, shadowed by the broomwagon.

Dowsett crashed on greasy roads approaching the second cobbled sector of the stage, suffering an elbow injury. He arrived at the finish at Cambrai having ridden more than 20km alone at the back of the race.

The British time trial champion, who suffers from haemophilia, appeared pale and tired as he descended the Movistar team bus following the stage. He was then taken in a race ambulance to the medical centre for treatment.

Dowsett's grisly elbow wound attracted its fair share of attention on social media, however his directeur sportif Jose Luis Arrieta told Cycling Weekly that the team expect their key domestique to make it to the start line in Arras on Wednesday morning.

“He’ll have to go and have stiches on his elbow, but its not too serious,” he said. “There’s nothing broken.

“We expect him to continue. We’ll see what the doctor will say but he’s very motivated to continue.”

Dowsett’s loss would be keenly felt by Movistar team leader Nairo Quintana, who finished alongside his GC rivals on the much anticipated cobbles stage. The time trial specialist and former Hour Record holder has impressed his bosses with his work in the opening four days of the race and ought to play an important role in the team time trial on stage nine.

“We haven’t just brought Alex here for that TTT but for all the work that he’s already done until now,” Arietta added. “There are still four important stages before the TTT.”

Alex Dowsett's Tour de France Canyon Speedmax CF