It looked like the story of the Critérium du Dauphiné’s fifth stage would be two soggy breakaways being reeled in after the last of four climbs before a nervous sprint in Saint-Priest, but the wet roads caused a massive crash including many GC favourites with 21 km to go and the race was neutralized. The cycling world held its breath as Tour de France favourites Remco Evenepoel and Primož Roglič went down on the slick pavement.
It was on the descent of Cat. 4 Côte de Bel Air that at least 30 riders hit the pavement. Immediately the race organizers neutralized the stage and the lucky few that escaped the carnage stopped up the road, as did the two fugitives.
⏪ La chute la descente de la côte de Bel-Air qui a entrainé de très nombreux coureurs et la neutralisation complète de l’étape.
⏪ The crash on the descent of the côte de Bel-Air which involved a large number of riders and led to the complete neutralisation of the stage.… pic.twitter.com/blRfrlhBio
— Critérium du Dauphiné (@dauphine) June 6, 2024
Race leader Evenepoel and second-place Roglič, who both are racing for the first time since crashing out of the Itzulia Basque Country in April, were victims of the wreck. Eighth-place Juan Ayuso was heavily bandaged.
Riders of different teams helped each other out of the wreckage.
Visma-Lease a Bike’s disappointing 2024 continued as both Dylan van Baarle and Steven Kruijswijk were taken to the hospital.
After around a half hour, the race organizers cancelled the stage, declaring that the peloton would ride, not race, to Saint-Priest and that there would be no winner for Stage 5 and no times taken.
⚠️ Officiel : l’étape sera neutralisée intégralement en raison de l’absence d’assistance médicale encore disponible. Il n’y aura pas de temps pris sur cette étape, et pas de vainqueur d’étape.
⚠️ Official: the stage will be neutralised due to the lack of medical assistance still…
— Critérium du Dauphiné (@dauphine) June 6, 2024
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