( CNN ) -- Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong reflected ruefully on Monday 's incident-packed second stage of the Tour de France , which saw Sylvain Chavanel claim the first yellow jersey of his career following a spate of crashes . The Frenchman moved almost three minutes ahead of previous leader Fabian Cancellara with his victory on the 201-kilometer leg from Brussels to Spa in Belgium . The Quick Step rider was the last remaining member of an eight-man breakaway that he led at the 10-kilometer mark , with the 123-strong peloton coming home together after refusing to race further following another day of crashes in difficult conditions . Saxo Bank 's brothers Andy and Franck Schleck both went down on the Stockeu climb -- also part of the Liege classic where Chavanel cracked his skull in April . Armstrong and titleholder Alberto Contador also lost time following spills , and the three main groups closed ranks to negotiate the slippery descents . American Armstrong dropped one place to fifth , being 3:19 off the leader in what is the 38-year-old 's final attempt at winning the race . `` It was a rough day . I 've got a couple of good abrasions -- one on the hip , one on the elbow , '' Armstrong told the Team RadioShack website . `` Coming down the descent of the Stockeu , it was as if someone had put something on the road , it was so surreal . There was no way to stay on your bike , there were people everywhere . `` As we got back on our bikes and started to re-descend , we just kept coming across more and more crashes ... motorbikes , TV cameras -- it was just bad luck . '' Chavanel came home almost four minutes clear of the bunch to take a lead of two minutes and 57 seconds into Tuesday 's third stage from Wanze across the border to Arenberg Porte du Hainaut in France . Prologue winner Cancellara , who negotiated the pact between the riders , will start the day in second place ahead of Columbia 's young German Tony Martin and Garmin 's British rider David Millar . Spain 's Contador was seventh behind Team Sky 's Geraint Thomas , while Armstrong 's RadioShack teammate Levi Leipheimer was eighth -- 3:25 behind Chavanel . Columbia 's sprint specialist Mark Cavendish , who won six stages last year and four in 2008 , fell almost 10 minutes off the pace as he finished back in 148th . Italian rider Alessandro Petacchi , who won a similarly crash-hit stage one on Sunday , was 13:37 adrift of Chavanel after finishing 157th .
Crashes mar the second stage of the Tour de France , won by Sylvain Chavanel . Seven - time winner Lance Armstrong drops to fifth after crashing in Belgium . Chavanel claims the jersey for first time as 123-strong group of riders agree not to race . Frenchman has almost three - minute lead over previous leader Fabian Roche .