Tour de France star Einer Rubio has been forced to leave the race after he was involved in a horror crash involving a rival team car when he smashed through its back window
Tour de France star Einer Rubio has been forced to leave the race after he was involved in a horror crash while ascending a mythical mountain.
Rubio, 28, was part of the peloton on Stage 19 of the 2026 edition that took riders from Gap to Alpe d’Huez – the most famous climb in professional cycling.
Tens of thousands of fans lined the Hollywood climb on Friday afternoon, but one fan accidently caused the horror crash when they fell into the road, causing the Team UAE Emirates-XRG team car to slam on the brakes – leading to Rubio smashing through the rear window.
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The Movistar rider was left bloodied on the slopes of the climb as the team car sped off to try and catch up with the flying yellow jersey, Tadej Pogacar.
Rubio suffered multiple injuries to his face and required 20 stitches, but was discharged from hospital late on Friday evening, with Movistar sharing footage of his bandaged face on social media. And he was forced to leave the race two days from Paris.
“Today, I feel the need to explain what happened from my position inside the car during yesterday’s stage,” Joxean Fernández, UAE’s team manager, wrote in a post on his Instagram.
“In the final kilometres of the Alpe d’Huez climb, with thousands of fans right next to the road and the immense pressure typical of a decisive Tour stage, a spectator suddenly ran out and fell right beneath our vehicle. My only reaction was to brake immediately to avoid running him over. It all happened in a split second, and my only thought was preventing a far worse tragedy.
“After braking, we heard a loud impact behind us, but amidst the noise, the tension, the crowd, and the responsibility of continuing to protect the race leader, I didn’t learn the full extent of the accident, or that Einer had to withdraw from the Tour, until we reached the finish line.
“I immediately contacted the Movistar Team, its directors, riders, and staff to check on the situation and ask what had happened.
“Those of us involved in cycling know that in such extreme situations, decisions are made in fractions of a second and always with the aim of protecting human life.
“I deeply regret the consequences of this accident. If the decisions I made in that moment ended up affecting a rider in the peloton, I can only say that it pains me deeply.
“At the same time, I believe it is important to remember that the safety of riders, teams, and fans also depends on the responsible behavior of those who enjoy this sport from the roadside.
“I offer all my support and affection to Einer; I am deeply sorry for what happened and sincerely hope to see you back competing where you belong very soon. This has not been, and is not, an easy day for me, and I needed to share this with you.”
UAE’s star Pogacar took the stage, his fifth this Tour, as he shattered a 31-year climbing record to win on the famous ascent.
Pogacar is now two days away from joining the five-time winners club and equaling the record for most Tour wins of all-time.