Juillard avoids collision with fans and car during solo detour in Etoile des Bessèges

Maximilien Juillard receives the Combative Rider of the Day prize after stage 2 at 2024 Etoile des Bessèges
Maximilien Juillard receives the Combative Rider of the Day prize after stage 2 at 2024 Etoile des Bessèges (Image credit: Etoile de Bessèges - Tour du Gard)

The prospects of Maximilien Juillard (Van Rysel-Roubaix) remaining in a three-rider breakaway on stage 2 of Étoile de Bessèges for his first UCI stage win almost vanished completely as he avoided colliding with spectators, trees and then race vehicles. 

A video from race broadcaster Eurosport caught the moment with 62.2km to go when Juillard could not reduce his speed for a sharp right-hand turn after the summit of the first KOM. 

Jackie Tyson
North American Production editor

Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. She has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast). Her favorite road and gravel rides are around horse farms in north Georgia (USA) and around lavender fields in Provence (France), and some mtb rides in Park City, Utah (USA).