Bloodied Haller pushes on after TDU crash

Marco Haller's bike was splattered with blood after the Austrian crashed near the finish of stage two in the Tour Down Under in South Australia.

Marco Haller crosses the finish line after crashing during stage two of the Tour Down Under. Source: Getty

But his injuries on Wednesday are small beer after what happened to the Katusha rider last year.

Haller was one of the casualties in the crash that split the field near the end of stage two in the Santos Tour Down Under.

He hit the deck heavily at Angaston and blood was splattered over his bike.

A team doctor reported he suffered a bruised trapezius muscle and multiple superficial road rash wounds.

His nose also hit the deck, hence the blood that Haller was seen washing out of his hair and off his face. But he is said to be in good spirits and is in no doubt for stage three.

Marco Haller on the ground after the Stage 2 crash. (AAP) Source: AAP

It follows last April's gruesome knee injury when he was hit by a car in a training crash.

He suffered an open fracture of his kneecap and Haller needed 36 stitches, leaving an ugly scar on his left leg.

Haller was out of racing for 190 days and there were fears last year that the injury would end his pro career.

But he started the year in triumph, winning race one of the Bay Crits in Victoria and going on to take the series title.

"I simply couldn't think of a better comeback," he said at the time.

While Wednesday's crash looked bad, no riders were hurt badly and none of the overall contenders was affected.

It happened within three kilometres of the finish, also meaning no-one lost time on the general classification.