It was initially feared that Greg Henderson had broken his elbow, but he only received stitches and remains fit enough to continue the race.
Fellow Kiwi Jack Bauer ended up at the bottom of the pile after French rider William Bonnet cut in front of him.
"I think he was trying to avoid it and he went down. I was right on his wheel and crossed his wheel and I landed on the other side of the crash. I must of flown a bit," he told bicycling.com after the stage.
"And then people just came piling on top of me. Made quite a mess of the old helmet."
Henderson also ended up at the bottom of the pile.
"What a pile up wow! ... Was like being at bottom of a rugby scrum," Henderson tweeted.
"Thought i broke elbow bt only stitches needed.@Lotto-Belisol boof down!"
Team Sky rider Edvald Boasson Hagen came off much worse, breaking his right shoulder blade and having to drop out of the tour.
Germany's Marcel Kittel overtook Mark Cavendish at the line to win the stage, while yellow jersey holder Chris Froome avoided the crash to protect his big lead.
