Sepp Kuss Crashes but Finishes Stage 4 of Tour de France

DURANGO, Colorado — Sepp Kuss of Durango crashed during Stage 4 of the Tour de France on Tuesday but managed to recover and finish 51st. The 174.2-kilometer leg ran from Amiens Métropole to Rouen, France, and saw Kuss fall in the middle of the peloton with approximately 53 kilometers remaining.

During the race, one rider collided with a raised median strip, causing a chain reaction that resulted in Kuss being knocked off his bike. Fortunately, the peloton was moving at a slower speed, preventing further injuries as Kuss was not struck by any other cyclists.

After determining he could continue, Kuss quickly checked his bike and resumed the race, managing to finish 51st overall, 2 minutes and 30 seconds behind the stage winner, Tadej Pogačar. Pogačar, riding for UAE Teams Emirates-XRG, claimed victory in a time of three hours, 50 minutes, and 29 seconds.

Despite Kuss’s crash, his team leader, Jonas Vingegaard, finished third in the stage, while American teammate Matteo Jorgenson finished eighth. Kuss currently sits 33rd in the overall classification after four stages.

The stage began relatively flat before riders faced numerous climbs. Pogačar made an aggressive move with just 5.4 kilometers to go, leading to a split in the peloton. A chasing group of seven riders formed, which ultimately led to a sprint finish.

Grischa Niermann, head of racing for Visma-Lease a Bike, praised his team’s performance. “The guys executed the plan to perfection,” he stated. He expressed pride in Kuss’s ability to recover quickly from the fall.

Fellow Durango cyclist Quinn Simmons, competing for Lidl-Trek, also participated and is currently ranked 91st in the overall standings. Simmons had his best stage finish of 70th on Tuesday, 17 minutes and 16 seconds behind Pogačar.

The Tour de France continues with a time trial on Wednesday as Kuss and Simmons hope to improve their positions in the upcoming stages.