VIDEO: Huge Renewi Tour crash brings down race leader Jonathan Milan and leaves riders strewn across road
CyclingThursday, 20 August 2026 at 16:15
A huge crash ripped through the peloton during Stage 2 of the 2026 Renewi Tour, bringing down race leader Jonathan Milan and leaving riders scattered across the road.
The incident occurred on a narrow but straight section of the route to Ardooie, where a front-to-rear wheel contact near the head of the peloton triggered a mass chain reaction. Milan was among the most visibly affected riders and remained sitting on the road after the pile-up.
Wheel contact triggers huge peloton pile-up
Television replays showed the initial contact involving Tobias Bayer towards the front of the bunch. Riders immediately behind were given almost no opportunity to react, with the fall quickly spreading through the middle of the tightly-packed peloton.
Bikes and riders were left covering much of the road as those who avoided the initial contact attempted to find a route through the wreckage. Kasper Asgreen was among those who did not immediately remount, while Belgian champion Rune Herregodts faced a lengthy wait for a replacement bike before eventually continuing.
Milan had won the opening stage in Diest and started the day four seconds ahead of Olav Kooij and Dries De Bondt in the general classification. His involvement therefore carried immediate consequences for both the expected sprint and the battle for the yellow jersey.
After spending time sitting beside the road, the Lidl–Trek leader eventually returned to his bike. Milan repeatedly examined his wrist and struggled to hold his handlebars steadily as he began a slow pursuit of the race.
Despite his visible discomfort, the Italian continued beyond the next passage through the finish area rather than turning towards the team buses. De Bondt had meanwhile attacked from the peloton, attempting to capitalise on the disorder while the race leader remained behind.
The full crash, including the initial contact and the chain reaction which brought down Milan and a large section of the peloton, can be watched in the video below.
Aïe. Énorme strike sur le Renewi Tour, Jonathan Milan semble sérieusement touché 🤕 pic.twitter.com/OCt5o8dao9
— Eurosport France (@Eurosport_FR) August 20, 2026
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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