🎥 New footage shows just how lucky Sepp Kuss was in Tour de France crash

Of course, the final stage of the Tour de France, won by Mathieu van der Poel in incredible fashion, was the highlight of three weeks of racing. But we should not forget the extraordinary stage that unfolded one day earlier. Sepp Kuss appeared to be heading for victory before two crashes cost him his chance. New footage has now shown just how much worse the second incident could have been.

Kuss had already been highly active during Stage 19, which finished on Alpe d’Huez. The American from Visma | Lease a Bike battled Richard Carapaz and Lenny Martinez for the stage victory, but the trio ultimately had to concede defeat to a rapidly advancing Tadej Pogačar. One day later, the finish would once again be on Alpe d’Huez, with Kuss and Carapaz both making it into the breakaway again.

They proved to be the strongest climbers at the front. On the Col de Sarenne, approached from the opposite side of the mythical Alpine climb, Kuss opened a small gap, but the polka-dot jersey wearer fought his way back. A second acceleration from the American appeared too powerful, yet the Ecuadorian from EF Education-EasyPost refused to give up. It became a battle between two completely exhausted riders.

Kuss eventually paid the price for those efforts. The first incident came at the exit of a tunnel, where he misjudged a corner, ran wide and struck a curb. He crashed but was able to get back up quickly, still holding a small advantage over Carapaz. The Ecuadorian sensed his opportunity and continued the chase. Kuss did everything he could, but he went off the road again. He came close to falling into a ravine but was saved by a safety net and a low wall.

Any hope of victory was gone, however. Kuss could not close the small gap to Carapaz, who went on to take his second stage win of the race. The American eventually finished third after also being passed by Remco Evenepoel. There was understandable disappointment afterwards, but also acceptance and relief. The 2023 Vuelta a España winner knew the outcome could have been far more serious.

Now, almost a week later, the true scale of the danger has become clear. Andrew Woodroffe, a triathlon coach, visited the corner and filmed what lay beyond the road. He explained that the safety net is not normally positioned there and had only recently been installed. When he looked over the edge, the footage revealed an enormous drop. Kuss had been extremely fortunate that the protective netting was in place at precisely that location.