Eight injured in press car crash just before stage finish in Ussel

At the time of the crash, the riders had not yet reached the finish. According to L'Équipe, it was one of the support vehicles that transport journalists along the course. Such vehicles are a regular part of the caravan at stage races and travel in the convoy behind the athletes in order to provide reporters with up-to-date information.

Press vehicles in the race caravan

No information was initially available about the exact cause of the accident. It was also unclear whether the driver of the vehicle was injured or whether only spectators or course officials were among the injured. The organizers and the police initially did not comment in detail.

The incident raises questions about safety at the access roads and in the finish area of stage towns. Barriers are intended to prevent unauthorized persons or vehicles from entering the course. If a collision occurs just a few hundred meters before the finish, the risk is particularly high because spectators, photographers, and helpers are in the immediate vicinity.

Safety in the finish area under discussion

The ninth stage of the Tour de France was part of the storied Tour de France, which is taking place this summer under special climatic conditions. Just a few days earlier, heat records in several stage regions had sparked discussions about rider protection. The organizers had announced, among other things, drinking bottles filled with ice water and shortened stage profiles.

After the crash, the finish area in Ussel was temporarily cleared, according to L'Équipe. Emergency services tended to the injured. When the stage was officially declared finished and whether the incident would affect the overall classification were initially unclear.

The France images distributed by dpa-infocom via the dpa news channel showed the area near the finish line. Further reports, including from Ici Limousin and Krone Multimedia, picked up the news on Sunday evening. An official statement from the Tour organization remained to be seen.