Eight spectators were injured after a vehicle travelling in the Tour de France convoy struck barriers close to the finish of Stage 9 in Ussel on Sunday afternoon.
The crash happened at around 5pm, before the riders arrived, approximately 350 metres from the finish line. French reports state that the vehicle veered towards the left-hand side of the road and hit metal crowd-control barriers, injuring spectators standing behind them.
Seven people sustained minor injuries. One spectator was taken to hospital after initially being treated as seriously injured, although the Corrèze prefecture said their life was not believed to be in danger.
Journalists from French sports newspaper L’Equipe were reportedly travelling in the vehicle at the time of the incident.
Investigation opened into cause of crash
The Tulle prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the collision. A possible medical episode involving the driver has been cited in French reports as the leading explanation being examined, but no definitive cause has yet been confirmed.
The driver was not taken into police custody. Emergency services, including firefighters and medical personnel, attended the scene and treated those injured before the stage reached the finish.
Eyewitnesses quoted in the French media described barriers being struck and several people being knocked to the ground. Some were able to stand again shortly afterwards, while others remained on the ground as emergency teams arrived.
The incident occurred more than 20 minutes before the race reached Ussel and was not visible during the televised conclusion of the stage.
Mathieu van der Poel later won Stage 9 after narrowly holding off Tobias Halland Johannessen and Tom Pidcock as the reduced peloton closed rapidly behind. The route had been shortened earlier in the day because of extreme heat in the Corrèze region.
Tour de France organiser ASO declined to comment on the incident. No further official update has yet been issued on the condition of the hospitalised spectator or the progress of the investigation.
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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#TDF2026 / Une voiture accréditée de L'Équipe a percuté des barrières à moins de 500 m de l'arrivée de la 9e étape du Tour de France à Ussel. Huit personnes ont été blessées, dont deux hospitalisées. Une enquête a été ouverte pour déterminer les circonstances de l'accident.
Must’ve been Macron’s car, that’s the only way to park in the final kilometre without getting towed
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