Former world champion Alessandro Ballan (Team BMC) has been forced to pull out of the Tour of Poland.

The Italian was involved in a mass crash just three kilometres from the end of the second stage from Czestochowa to Dabrowa Gornicza.

Ballan suffered a deep wound on his left knee and was rushed to Katowice General Hospital where he had some stitches.

Blazej Janiaczyk (Team CCC-Polsat) fractured his ribs in the same crash and has also pulled out of the race.

Eurosport