Tour: Press car crashes through barriers in Ussel, eight injured

A dramatic incident marred the finale of the ninth stage of the 2026 Tour de France in Ussel, in the Corrèze department: a car registered to the French sports newspaper L'Équipe crashed through roadside barriers less than 500 meters from the finish line, injuring eight spectators along the route.

According to the Corrèze prefecture, the accident occurred around 5:00 PM, before the day's breakaway crossed the finish line. The driver of the vehicle reportedly suddenly felt ill, losing control of the vehicle, which crashed violently into the barriers, crushing the people behind them.

One of the eight people involved was initially in critical condition, but his life was never in danger. The other seven spectators suffered minor injuries. The Tulle Prosecutor's Office immediately opened an investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the incident. The driver of the car has not been arrested.

Television footage showed the vehicle still adjacent to the finishing straight with the barriers back in place, while the day's breakaway – later won masterfully by Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) – was passing at high speed right at that point, with still 500 metres to go.

It should be noted that this stage had already been shortened by 30 kilometers from the original route due to the red alert for the exceptional temperatures that hit central France this weekend in July. An already challenging day, made even more tense by this scare along the roads of Corrèze.