On Sunday evening, just before the finish of the ninth stage of the Tour de France, an accident involving a press support vehicle occurred. On arrival in Ussel, one of the vehicles carrying journalists from the French sports newspaper *L’Équipe* crashed into the barriers lining the route less than 500 metres from the finish line, as reported by the newspaper itself. Eight people who were behind the barriers were reportedly injured in the accident. Two of them were taken to hospital. The public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation to clarify the circumstances of the accident.
The local broadcaster, Ici Limousin, whose director witnessed the accident first-hand, reported that the driver of the press vehicle had apparently suffered a sudden fainting spell. Temperatures in the region reached up to 40 degrees on Sunday, which is why the Tour stage had been shortened – a first in the race’s long history.
Copyright 2026, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved
