The 2011 Tour has been filled with drama, and the frequent crashes have not only split the peloton but robbed the race of some of its brightest talents. ITV.com/tour editor Luke McLaughlin looks at the state of play after nine stages. Which of the general classification contenders looks best placed to top the podium in Paris - and what might have been for Bradley Wiggins and Jurgen van den Broeck

Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Sungard)
He's still in the race but he's struggling. A crash on Stage 1 saw the champion lose over a minute on the leaders, and a poor team time trial in Les Essarts by Saxo Bank lost him further time. He has a right knee injury, and is sore all over from the several crashes that have dogged his race. "I'll look for the adequate moment to go on the offensive," the three-time champion tantalisingly said on Monday's rest day. "It'll depend on how my knee is and how my condition is." But what's going on at Saxo Bank? On one occasion the Spaniard had to pace himself back to the peloton after falling behind - a tactical error, or an admission that Contador is unlikely to fight his way back into the race?

Andy Schleck (Leopard-Trek)
Cadel Evans has assumed the role of favourite for many given his impressive form in the first week, but based on performances in previous Tours, Schleck must surely be the best placed of the GC contenders. If only because he is quietly making progress, letting others take the headlines and probably keeping his powder dry for the mountains. He's avoided crashes, he's in fifth place, only 11" behind third-placed Evans, and he has the support of a powerful team - including his brother Frank, who abandoned early on last year but whose climbing prowess will be essential in the mountains. Given that the pre-race talk was mostly of a two-horse race between Contador and Schleck the smart money should surely be on the Luxemburger.

Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team)
Twice a second-placed podium finisher, the Australian endured miserable Tours de France in 2009 and 2010 but he has carried his strong pre-race form into the Tour this year. A stage win on Mur de Bretagne on Stage 5 and a very impressive team time trial performance signalled his intentions. His preparation has clearly been spot on, his team including the irrepressible George Hincapie is looking good, and he sits third in the overall standings at the time of writing. Doubters still question his ability to withstand the stress of leading the race or being right in contention, and predict at least one very poor day in the mountains. But this looks like it's Evans best chance to win the Tour.

Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale)
Another rider who's suddenly become a far more serious contender with Contador out of the picture (at least at the moment). A nasty training crash on Mount Etna in May in which he sustained facial injuries reduced his chances for some pundits, but before Stage 10 he's well placed at 11th overall, less than two minutes behind Evans in third. At 33, the two-time Giro d'Italia winner may see this as his best chance to make a real impact at the Tour de France. Before now, his most notable achievement was winning the young rider classification in 2002.

Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky)
Disappointingly for British cycling fans but mostly for himself, a crash on Friday's Stage 7 left Team Sky's leader with a broken collarbone, ending his Tour. Given the state of the race and his own form, Wiggins looked capable of improving on his fourth place of 2009 - although we'll never know how he'd have fared in the punishing final week in the Alps. The form of team-mates Geraint Thomas, Edvald Boasson Hagen and the climbing ability of Rigoberto Uran gave him plenty of cause for optimism.

Jurgen van den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
Like Wiggins, he is out of the race nursing a broken bone. The Belgian was upended by the same crash that accounted for Alexandre Vinokourov on Stage 9 - blamed by Garmin-Cervelo's David Millar on oil on the road on a the left-hand downhill bend. In turn, some riders have blamed Garmin-Cervelo for riding recklessly at the front of the peloton and ignoring the dangers of the descent. Regardless, Van Den Broeck broke a shoulder blade in the accident - and like Wiggins he will be back for another go next year.

See full standings for the 2011 Tour

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