Xandro Meurisse hit by car after Tour de France time trial hours after Brandon McNulty also struck by vehicle in recon
Cycling
Stage 16 of the Tour de France saw two riders crash outside of the course, with both struck by cars in separate incidents before and after the individual time trial. Xandro Meurisse and Brandon McNulty hit the deck as a result of the unrelated incidents.
After McNulty's crash was confirmed by UAE Team Emirates - XRG before the stage, it emerged shortly after the general classification riders completed their time trial that Meurisse had been involved in an incident.
52nd place on the day, Meurisse finished more than four and a half minutes behind his winner Remco Evenepoel. On social media, the 34-year-old had previously shared images of his family standing on the sidelines.
It's reported that he was struck by a car while making his way back to the start area. His fan club posted the update on Facebook. It's unclear whether his injuries will affect his status in the race ahead of Wednesday's stage 17.
It said: “Xandro was hit by a car today while driving back to the starting point, resulting in a lot of scrapes. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow."
Brandon McNulty struck by car
Meanwhile, it comes after Brandon McNulty was hit by a car when he was doing his recon of the stage 16 time trial.
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.”
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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.”
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.
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.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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