Watch Froome’s nasty crash on stage four of the Tour de France

The Team Sky rider clipped wheels with another bike shortly after the peloton set off from Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, and suffered a nasty fall.

The Englishman was back in the saddle quickly, but suffered some nasty road rash on his hip and posterior, clearly visible through his ripped shorts.

Froome also complained of discomfort in his wrist, knee and shoulders when the Tour doctor treated him as he rejoined the race.

The Briton fell off his bike five kilometres into the 163.5-km ride from Le Touquet .Froome, who is fifth overall and two seconds behind Italian Vincenzo Nibali, crashed on the same side during last month's Criterium du Dauphine.

He was being helped back into the peloton by his Sky team-mates.

Earlier in the day 2010 winner Andy Schleck was forced to pull out of the whole race after suffering an injury in a crash on Monday, when he collided with a spectator trying to take a picture of the race.