At Alpe d'Huez, Tadej Pogacar nears fifth title as cyclists feel like 'fifth wheel'

Richard Carapaz secured a victory on the stage to Alpe d'Huez, positioning Tadej Pogacar on the brink of claiming his fifth Tour de France title. The day's drama, however, was significantly heightened by a near-fatal accident involving Sepp Kuss.

Kuss, riding for Visma-Lease A Bike, was descending the Col de Sarenne when he veered off course. Fortunately, a simple tennis-style safety net, typically used to prevent falls in less treacherous terrain, caught him and prevented him from plunging down a precipice of several dozen meters. The incident underscored the precariousness of the race, where a simple piece of netting stood between a rider and potential tragedy.

Despite the terrifying close call, Kuss downplayed the incident, stating, "I got out of it pretty well." He is still recovering from a previous injury where he broke a tooth while trying to open a water bottle with his teeth, which was dislodged by a slight obstacle on the road. Saturday's descent, however, presented a different kind of danger, one born from extreme fatigue and a momentary lapse in concentration.

Kuss admitted to "lacking foresight" during the stage. He had already fallen once in a tunnel earlier in the day and then missed his line on the Sarenne turn, heading towards the edge of a steep drop. The near-catastrophe served as a stark reminder of the physical and mental toll the Tour de France takes on its participants, where exhaustion can lead to critical errors.