Major Cycling Crash Takes Out Tour De France Favorites Vingegaard, Roglic And Evenepoel

Professional cycling can be a cruel mistress.

But it has perhaps never been quite as cruel as it has in recent weeks.

Two weeks ago, a major crash in E3 Harelbeke left superstar Wout Van Aert with broken bones, taking him out of the legendary Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

Now, less than a month later, the 2024 Tour de France may have just lost three of its four biggest names after a devastating crash at the Itzulia Basque Country saw two-time defending TDF champion Jonas Vingegaard hit the deck alongside reigning Giro d’Italia winner Primoz Roglic and reigning world champion time trialist Remco Evenepoel.

The incident occurred while the riders were descending off a climb. One rider appeared to slide out in the corner, causing many others to lose control behind them.

Both Vingegaard and Roglic then hit what appeared to be a concrete draining ditch. Evenepoel was able to avoid the ditch but was forced to ride wide through a wooded area where he was then unable to remain upright.

Prior to the crash, OddsChecker listed the following odds for the 2024 Tour de France:

 

Jonas Vingegaard: -150
Tadej Pogacar: +250
Primoz Roglic : +600
Remco Evenepoel: +900

Now it appears that three of those four riders could miss the race altogether or have their preparation for the race, which begins on June 29th, significantly altered.

Tadej Pogacar, who won both the 2020 and 2021 Tours de France, was not present at Itzulia Basque Country.

Race organizers at Itzulia Basque Country neutralized the race following the crash, meaning the remaining riders did not race the remainder of the stage, instead finishing as a group.

No updates are currently available on the status of the riders in the crash, which including several others in addition to Vingegaard, Roglic and Evenepoel.

Roglic led the race at the time of the crash after a victory (albeit, a strange one) in the opening time trial.