Riders praise race organisation at Etoile de Bessèges after heavy crashes on stage two

One incident left a rider hanging from a bridge in the aftermath

Greg van Avermaet
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Riders involved in the Etoile de Bessèges stage race have praised the race organisation for its quick response to stage two's dramatic crash, which left a rider hanging from a small bridge.

The terrifying incident took place with approximately 24 kilometres left to race as the riders reached a pinch point on the route, caused by a small stone bridge across a ravine.

Valentin Madouas of Groupama-FDJ praised the race organisation's quick response on social media after the incident which saw yesterday's stage subsequently neutralised.

Writing on social media, Madouas said: ”Congratulations to the organisers at Etoile de Besseges! The safety of the riders above all!”

After the crash had initially taken place, there was a hold up of more than 25 minutes while the race organisers decided what to do. Eventually the stage was cancelled due to a lack of ambulances and medical cars to safely continue in the event of further incidents.

Meanwhile Valentin Ferron (TotalEnergies) was fortunate to escape with “minor superficial wounds” after he was forced to cling onto the bridge to stop himself falling into the ravine below.

Thanks to some quick-thinking from Axel Laurence of Alpecin-Deceuninck, Ferron escaped further serious injury.

According to a report from Cyclingnews, Ferron said that the horrifying incident was “all a bit of a blur”. 

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Tom Thewlis
News and Features Writer

After previously working in higher education, Tom joined Cycling Weekly in 2022 and hasn't looked back. He's been covering professional cycling ever since; reporting on the ground from some of the sport's biggest races and events, including the Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix and the World Championships. His earliest memory of a bike race is watching the Tour on holiday in the early 2000's in the south of France - he even made it on to the podium in Pau afterwards. His favourite place that cycling has taken him is Montréal in Canada.