Circuit Cycliste Sarthe - Pays de la Loire

It should have been one last hurrah for the fast men at the of 68th Circuit de la Sarthe, but the heavy rain and wind that made an appearance in the closing stages of the day changed the expected narrative.

Before that happened, the organisers decided to cut the route by 20 kilometers, but the bunch remained nervous and the fight for positioning was intense on the last lap of the stage. This and the slippery roads meant that just four kilometers from the finish in La Chapelle-Saint-Aubin, a huge crash took place and fragmented the peloton, leaving small groups scattered all over the road.

Among the many riders who hit the deck were also Tour de France green jersey winner Mark Cavendish and lead-out man Bert Van Lerberghe. Fortunately, without any major consequences – the stage was won by Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma) from a two-man group that got away following that incident.

Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images