Jul 6th, 10.  Julian Dean, New Zealand's one representative in the Tour de France, will continue in the race to Paris despite major bruising sustained in today's stage.

Dean doesn't give in easily ©Graham Watson / Team Garmin Transitions

Medical examinations showed Dean suffered a large contusion on his left upper back but he is determined to start tomorrow's tough cobbled stage and continue on in the Tour de France.

"Today was just one of those days where I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," Dean said.

"I tried to snake a trail through the falling riders around me but it was to no avail. I hit the road hard and could sense right away that I was not coming out of this one lightly."

"Post stage examinations and x-rays all come back with nothing overly serious. I am more than a little sore where I took the impact on my back but I think I’ll be ok," said Dean who was the only rider in the pro-peloton to tough out and finish all three Grand Tours last year.

"So goes the Tour de France. It’s back on the bike to do it all again tomorrow!" 

The same can't be said for Dean's leader.  Vande Velde sustained broken ribs and won't be continuing the Tour. 

Garmin Transition's sprinter Tyler Farrar Tyler sprained his left elbow, fractured his left wrist and suffered multiple other contusions and abrasions. However, like Dean, he plans on being at the start line tomorrow.

"One minute I was riding down the descent and  the next minute I was sliding. That was the first crash," explained Farrar. "I got back up and started descending again and I have no idea what happened; all of the sudden my front wheel was gone and I was on the ground again. That’s the one where I knew something was very wrong."  

"I rode the last 30k with one hand. I laid my left hand on the handlebars but that’s all I could do. I have a fracture in my wrist and banged up my elbow pretty badly."

"No one wants to quit the Tour de France, so you’ll push yourself a lot more through the pain than you will in any other bike race in the world. I’m determined to start tomorrow and as of this moment, that’s the plan."

See also Broken ribs end Vande Velde's Tour and Dean rides into 2009 history books