METZ, France — Liquigas-Cannondale cyclist Peter Sagan of Slovakia avoided a bloody, across-the-road pileup and earned his third Tour de France stage victory Friday.

RadioShack-Nissan rider Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland also steered clear of the mayhem to keep the leader's yellow jersey.

Sagan won the 127.4-mile sixth stage from Epernay to Metz in 4 hours, 37 minutes.

With about 16 miles to go, at least two dozen riders spilled across a rural road.

The Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda team took the worst of the crash, as Tom Danielson was briefly knocked unconscious and taken to a hospital for hip, collarbone and elbow injuries that knocked him out of the Tour. Teammate Ryder Hesjedal of Canada — winner of the Giro d'Italia in May — injured his knee and lost more than 13 minutes, all but ending his chances for a top-three finish.

Garmin rider Tyler Farrar of Wenatchee has taken multiple falls this week.