COL DU TOURMALET, France – Spaniard Samuel Sanchez’s hopes of a podium finish on the Tour de France were almost scuppered after a crash early in the final mountain stage of this year’s race Thursday.

Sanchez, who was third overall behind race leader Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck at the start of stage 17, was left gasping for breath after crashing and hurting his sternum and ribs.

The crash happened at the 24th kilometer of the 174km ride from Pau to the summit of the Col du Tourmalet. Sanchez got back on his bike after receiving treatment from the official race doctor Gerard Porte.

“He hurt his sternum and also has soreness in his rib cage area,” Porte told France television.

“He found it hard to breathe again at first, but apart from that there is nothing to report.”

Sanchez, the reigning Olympic road race champion who rides for Euskaltel, was left prone on the ground after his crash but with the help of teammates he was able to rejoin the main peloton shortly after wards.

Sanchez began the day two minutes behind Contador in the race’s general classification, with podium rival Denis Menchov of Rabobank at just 13secs adrift.