Watch: Tour de France rider crashes into rear windscreen of car
Watch: Tour de France rider crashes into rear windscreen of car
Telegraph SportSat, July 25, 2026 at 8:52 AM UTC
0
Einer Rubio receives medical attention after crashing into the back of a UAE Team Emirates-XRG team support vehicle - Mosa'ab Elshamy/AP
A Tour de France rider needed 20 stitches after crashing head first into the back of a car.
Einer Rubio collided with the back windscreen of a team support vehicle when it braked suddenly to avoid hitting a spectator during the climb to Alpe d’Huez during Stage 19 on Friday.
Video footage of the incident showed Rubio travelling at speed on a flatter section of the course and he was unable to avoid crashing into the back of an UAE Team Emirates-XRG car when it came to a sudden stop, smashing the rear windscreen.
It is unclear whether the spectator – who fell into the car’s path – was accidentally pushed, was trying to take a photograph or was picking something up.
A UAE Team Emirates-XRG spokesman said: “A spectator fell forward directly into the path of the car. The car braked to avoid the collision. It was a very unfortunate incident and something nobody wants to see. We wish Einer Rubio a speedy recovery.”
Advertisement
Rubio, the Colombian who is on the Movistar team and was 27th in the overall standings, was forced to withdraw from the race after suffering facial injuries in the collision. He received medical attention at the scene before being taken to a medical truck for further treatment and was later seen with multiple bandages on his face.
“Einer Rubio has had around 20 stitches in his face following the accident he suffered whilst climbing Alpe d’Huez,” Movistar said in a statement on X.
He was flown off the mountain by helicopter and transferred to a hospital in Grenoble for further tests, which ruled out any fractures. Movistar later confirmed that he was discharged from hospital on Friday night.
This is the latest incident involving fans during this year’s Tour. On Thursday, Richard Carapaz narrowly avoided colliding with a spectator posing for a photo as he was able to swerve just in time.
Tadej Pogacar continued to dominate this year’s Tour by smashing the record for fastest-ever ascent of Alpe d’Huez en route to winning Stage 19. The Slovenian’s time of 35min 26sec beat the previous mark, set by Italian climber Marco Pantani in 1995, by 1min 14sec.
Source: “AOL Sports”
