But as the Australian's BMC Racing team awaited news about the extent of his injuries after being taken to hospital by ambulance, the reaction of his Italian team sports director Fabio Baldato put into perspective what is most important.

Baldato's concern was for his health, rather than devastation for a Tour-winning campaign coming to such an abrupt end.

"I can only say he was conscious," Baldato said at the BMC team bus after the 181.5-kilometre stage from Nantua to Chambery.

When Baldato arrived by Porte's side after exiting from the BMC team car once it weaved out from the convoy of team vehicles following the stage and stopped, the Tasmanian rider was being attended to by the Tour's medical team.

But the look on Baldato's face as he spoke to media later outside the BMC team bus was clearly one that reflected his concern for the well-being of Porte and what state he may be in physically and emotionally, rather than the team's loss.

"With my eyes I was looking at him," said Baldato. "He had pain in the shoulder … but we need to wait …

"He was always conscious and knew what happened and he was asking for his helmet, his glasses …"

Later, X-rays taken at the Centre Hospitalier Metropole Savoie in Chambery showed Porte sustained a fractured right collar bone and pelvis. He also suffered extensive superficial abrasions on the right side of his body.

Team doctor Max Testa said Porte's condition was stable from the beginning.

"He was responsive and he remembered everything that happened before and after the crash," he said.

"X-rays confirmed a non-displaced right clavicle fracture and a non-displaced right acetabulum fracture. At this stage, the injuries will not require surgery. 

"The plan is to re-evaluate Richie [Monday] morning and confirm that he is stable enough to be transferred home."

Porte will need a minimum of four weeks off the bike, said Testa.

"Normally, a fractured clavicle and pelvis would require four to six weeks' recovery, providing there are no complications," he said.

"If everything goes to plan, Richie could be back on the bike at the beginning of August and slowly build his fitness up from there. Based on Richie's recovery, we will re-evaluate his program for the rest of the season in consultation with BMC Racing Team management."

No mistaking, Porte's crash on the narrow twisting 13-kilometre descent of the Mont du Chat at 72.5km/h was horrific.

At the time, Porte was in a group of seven riders chasing Frenchman Warren Barguil (Sunweb), including the overall race leader Chris Froome (Team Sky). The others riders in that group were Dan Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), Italian Fabio Aru (Astana), Frenchman Romain Bardet (Ag2r), Irishman Dan Martin (Quick-Step Floors) and the eventual stage winner Colombian Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac).

Suddenly, Porte veered off the left-hand side at the apex of a bend onto the grass, where he lost balance and crashed. His speed and the momentum of his fall then catapulted him along the bitumen several metres forward and to the right of the road and into Martin and the embankment.

Martin also crashed but was able to continue.

Vision showing Porte move provided immediate relief, even though it was clear his Tour would be over; a fate confirmed when he was placed in a stretcher and into an ambulance.

That Tour de France doctor Florence Pommerie said Porte had spoken after the fall also offered promise, despite the extent of his injuries not being known until after X-rays

"He was conscious – it's reassuring. He is being transferred to the hospital," Pommerie said.

Baldato, meanwhile, appeared to still be in shock as he spoke after the stage, however briefly – understandably not wanting to pre-empt the final diagnosis of Porte's condition.

If there was any misgiving for the crash having scuppered Porte's bid for victory, it was more lament for Porte after all the work and preparation that he had put into this campaign.

He was one of nine riders inside one minute of Froome's overall race lead before the mountainous stage in the Alps.

Porte began the stage in fifth place overall at 39 seconds to Froome, and was looking strong in Sunday's doomed stage.

On the steep 8.9-kilometre ascent of the Mont du Chat, the seventh of seven climbs for the day, Porte was putting plenty of pressure on Froome. He made two attacks on the climb, in between also unleashing a surge the front of of that group.

His efforts were crucial in reducing the group to seven riders at the top of the climb at 155 kilometres, after which came the 13-kilometre descent he crashed on and a 13-kilometre flat stretch to the finish.

"We are all sad. We did a lot of work," Baldato said, adding: "First Richie did a lot of work for this Tour de France from the beginning of the year. We did a lot of training, 'recon,' training camps ... also with the teammates that are here.

"We did everything possible to put him on the podium from the first day all the team was around him. We are sad.

"We just can be next to Richie and wish as soon as possible come back stronger because … he deserved a good result, a great Tour d France. This year [he was] super good."

Baldato's sentiments were shared by Porte's Belgian teammate Greg Van Avermaet, the Olympic road champion.

"It is very hard for us because we came here with one goal and that's to put Richie on the podium in Paris," Van Avermaet said.

"He was really good. He was in good shape. He proved in the [Critérium du] Dauphiné [where he finished second overall] and in the first week of the Tour. But most important is that he is healthy …"

Froome, meanwhile, spoke of his regret that Porte's Tour bid had come to such an end, as it did for one of his own teammates, Welshman Geraint Thomas, who crashed out earlier in the stage and broke his right collar bone.

"Today's stage was brutal," said Froome who finished third on the stage and in the group that had included Porte, but by the finish was down to six riders and led by a victorious Uran and then Barguil who was caught after the Mont du Chat.

"Obviously for us losing Geraint was massive and for the race to lose Porte also is a big blow to the race," he said.

"No one wants to see a big contender like him go out like he did today. That was horrific."

Froome, who now leads the Tour by 18s over Aru and 51s over Bardet also praised Porte for leading the call for their group to slow up and wait for him after suffered a mechanical on the Mont du Chat climb, with Aru controversially attacking.

It is deemed unsporting in cycling to attack a race leader or favourite when they puncture or have a mechanical problem.

Froome said he did not notice Aru attacking as he did, but he thanked Porte for his response.

"When I got back to the group it looked like Richie had said to the other main rivals, 'This is not the moment to attack the leader of the race when he has a mechanical problem,'" said Froome later.

"I want to say thanks to Richie and the group for not taking advantage at that point."