Tour de France medical update: How are the riders who crashed hard during stage 2?
CyclingMonday, 06 July 2026 at 10:26
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Follow us on GoogleThe second stage of the Tour de France was rocked by a heavy crash on Sunday. After several riders had already gone down in the team time trial on Saturday, it happened again in the opening phase of stage 2. All riders did manage to finish the stage.
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On the first day, XDS Astana was particularly hit by a heavy crash in the team time trial. Three riders went down, and a day later, the Kazakh team was struck again. Aaron Gate was involved in the crash and sustained a nasty facial injury. After being patched up from the team car (see video below), he then required stitches after the stage.
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Girmay and Godon crash in Tour de France
A total of eight riders went down during the second stage, which saw a breakaway group of three out front while the peloton was still racing nervously. Trouble struck right at the front, against the guardrails; it is a miracle that more riders didn't hit the ground.
The most notable names involved in the crash were Biniam Girmay and Dorian Godon. The Eritrean rider from NSN was back on his feet quickly and soon gave a thumbs-up to the race motorbike, signaling that he was okay. The Frenchman from Netcompany INEOS was clearly suffering from some elbow pain and had to be checked by the race doctor.
De Lie finishes last, but within the time limit
While Girmay was once again contending for green jersey points during the intermediate sprint, Godon finished in the gruppetto in 121st place. This is not a particularly good sign for the Frenchman from Netcompany INEOS, who would normally handle a tough finale better.
Maxim Van Gils (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Anthon Charmig (Uno-X Mobility), Kelland O'Brien (Jayco AlUla), Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Premier Tech), and Robbe Dhondt (Picnic PostNL) were also involved in the crash. Dhondt, in particular, remained on the ground for a long time but managed a respectable sixtieth-place finish. Van Gils sustained abrasions to his knee, hip, and palm, he told HLN.
Oddly enough, none of the riders who crashed finished last in the day's results. That dubious honor went to Arnaud De Lie, who has been unwell for several days. He finished within the time limit, thanks to his Lotto-Intermarché teammate Baptiste Veistroffer.
David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- - Feels a bit clicky—“Find out LIVE!” but no analysis on sprint trains vs puncheurs? Come on, give us likely teams that will shut it down (Visma, Ineos, Lidl?).samanthak06-07-2026
- - Love a proper breakaway stage early doors. If the GC boys blink, someone like Mohorič or Verona could nick it. Weather/wind updates?patriciaw06-07-2026
- - Not convinced by the “scenario doesn’t suit Jonas” line. He knew Montjuïc was coming and still lost the kick. If you’ve got the yellow, defend it—don’t talk it down. Feels a bit like expectation management from Visma.davidm06-07-2026
- - So if the stage gets changed because of the wildfires, does the time still count the same? And how do they decide if the yellow stays with Vingegaard?samanthak06-07-2026
- - Thoughtful piece. Reef’s right about the heat shaping everything. Forty riders left after lap four says it all. Jonas losing a few seconds on Montjuïc to Pogačar and Del Toro isn’t alarming—pacing in 40°C is survival mode. Yellow now is a bonus, not the mission.robert6506-07-2026
- - Qué etapa caliente! Del Toro increíble, Pogacar muy listo, pero Vingegaard muy sólido con maillot jaune. Mañana será clave.patriciaw06-07-2026
- - Vingegaard with the mask is a clever move. If there’s illness in the bunch and wildfire smoke around, it’s pure marginal gains. People laughed in 2022 and then he won the Tour…samanthak06-07-2026
- - UAE were ruthless today, but can we stop pretending Pogacar was “toying” with everyone? That’s a bit sensational. Del Toro earned that kick after the descent; textbook lead-out by McNulty too.robert6506-07-2026
- - Quick question: when they say Jonas “kept same time” with Pogacar and Evenepoel, does that mean no time loss in GC even if he finished a few bike lengths back? Still figuring out how the timing works on these stages.breakawaybikerd06-07-2026
- - Brilliant read. Pog and Del Toro had that Montjuïc circuit on a string, but Jonas keeping yellow in 40°C is massive. Smart riding, not panic.velodromevirtuoso106-07-2026
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