Brandon McNulty hit by car during Tour de France time trial recon! UAE suffer scare over key US domestique for Tadej Pogacar
CyclingTuesday, 21 July 2026 at 15:56
Brandon McNulty was knocked off his bike by a car while reconnoitring the stage 16 time trial course at the Tour de France, briefly leaving UAE Team Emirates – XRG unsure whether one of Tadej Pogacar’s key mountain domestiques would be able to start.
The American was riding the 26-kilometre route from Evian-les-Bains to Thonon-les-Bains when the incident occurred. According to UAE team principal Mauro Gianetti, the vehicle involved was unrelated to the race.
“He was just riding his bike with one car behind him,” Gianetti told The Athletic. “A normal car, we don’t know who they are. And when he overtook, he just stopped the car, and Brandon was unable to prevent himself riding into it.”
McNulty was left on the ground after the collision, with UAE initially waiting for medical confirmation over his condition. “I hope so,” Gianetti said when first asked whether the 28-year-old would be fit enough to start. “I’m still waiting for the confirmation of the doctor.”
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McNulty’s value extends beyond stage 16
McNulty started the day 19th overall, but his greater importance to UAE lies in the support he can provide Pogacar during the final mountain stages.
The American has repeatedly been used deep into difficult climbing days and is one of the riders expected to remain alongside the yellow jersey when the peloton returns to the Alps. Any lasting effects from the crash would therefore have mattered beyond his own time trial result.
Pogacar entered stage 16 with a five-minute advantage over Remco Evenepoel and UAE in control of several classifications. The team’s position has looked increasingly secure since Jonas Vingegaard crashed out on stage 15, but McNulty’s incident offered another reminder of how quickly a squad can lose an important rider away from the decisive racing.
UAE avoided the worst-case scenario with Gianetti later confirming to TNT Sports that the injuries were not serious. McNulty’s condition remained relevant, however, with the toughest mountain block of the Tour still to come and Pogacar likely to rely on him again before Paris.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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