Team RadioShack's last hopes of winning the Tour de France appear to have been dashed after team leader Andreas Klöden injured his back in a fall during Sunday's crash-marred ninth stage.

Kloeden was among the riders who fell at high speed during a descent midway through the mountain stage in the Massif Central. The German veteran was able to get back on his bike and finished the stage but lost more time to the Tour's main contenders.

Kloeden is eighth in the overall standings, 2 minutes and 43 seconds behind leader Thomas Voeckler of France. He still leads defending champion Alberto Contador overall but his injury is likely to hamper him for the rest of the race. In the same way Tyler Hamilton's back injury prevented him from performing at his best in a past edition of the Tour de France.