SPA, Belgium – Spilled oil from a motorbike which crashed ahead of the Tour de France peloton on the second stage Monday was suspected of being the main cause of crashes involving dozens of riders.

Reigning champion Alberto Contador, seven-time winner Lance Armstrong and last year’s runner-up Andy Schleck were among the crash victims as the peloton raced up and down the hills which dotted the end of the 201km ride from Brussels.

All three emerged relatively unscathed to finish the stage, won by Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel after a successful breakaway, although both Contador and Schleck were complaining of their injuries.

A statement from Contador’s Astana team suggested the oil, which mixed with water on the rainy stage, was the reason so many riders crashed.

“Alberto was one of the many riders who suffered a fall on the (descent of the) Stockeu climb on a road that had turned into a skating rink due to rain and, apparently, the loss of fuel of a motorcycle which had fallen minutes before the riders passed,” the Astana team statement read.

Luxemburger Frank Schleck, who rides in the same Saxo Bank team as brother Andy, said: “There was something on the road.”

The race was eventually called off by a peloton truce, meaning the main bunch raced the final 20km at a relatively easy pace in a bid to avoid further mishap.

Several riders were left with trips to the hospital, including American Christian Vande Velde, New Zealander Julian Dean and South African Robert Hunter — all of the Garmin team.

Team Sky manager Dave Brailsford got a good view of the carnage.

“It was ridiculously slippy,” said Brailsford, whose main Tour contender is Bradley Wiggins.

“They were coming down the last couple of descents and there were guys in the trees.

“It was carnage in the true sense of the word. Sixty guys must have crashed in different places.

Numerous falls also marred the first stage on Sunday but the peloton is facing more carnage in the third stage Tuesday which feature seven treacherous cobblestone sectors.

Contador, for one, knows he is in for a tough day.

“It’s the worst day because tomorrow is a tough day in coblestones, they hit you all over, but I want to be optimistic. We will try to recover and get ice (on the injuries) soon.”