The French cycling community is mourning following the death of a participant during the 11th edition of Les 6h de VTT Déraillées in La Jubaudière, Maine-et-Loire, on Sunday 07 June 2026.
Organiser Énergie VTT Les Déraillés posted the following on Facebook, “It is with a heavy heart that we publish this message. It was a beautiful day that had started on this Sunday, June 7, the party was beautiful, the sun was shining and your smiles spoke a lot about the pleasure of meeting again around our common passion. As you know, the day took a turn as unexpected and dramatic that marked us all and frozen the event into deep sadness.”
According to French media reports, the rider, a 56-year-old man from the Vendée department, suffered a medical emergency shortly after reaching the finish area of the endurance mountain bike event. Volunteers from the Red Cross immediately attended to the cyclist before emergency services arrived at the scene. Despite the efforts of firefighters and medical responders, the man could not be revived.
Organisers subsequently halted the event as news of the tragedy spread among participants and spectators. Approximately 400 riders had entered the popular endurance race, which takes place on a roughly 5-kilometre circuit through the Bois de la Gautrêche. Competitors can participate solo or in teams in a format that emphasises both endurance and camaraderie.
First held in 2015, Les 6h de VTT Déraillées has become a fixture of the regional mountain bike calendar in western France. The event combines competitive racing with a festival atmosphere and attracts riders from across the Pays de la Loire region. This year’s programme also included gravel rides and youth events, reflecting the continued growth of grassroots off-road cycling in the area.
The tragedy is the latest in a series of medical fatalities involving older amateur cyclists at endurance events this season. In April, British cyclocross veteran Colin Moses, 60, died after collapsing during the Liège-Bastogne-Liège Challenge in Belgium. One week earlier, two Italian cyclists, Fabrizio Fiori, 61, and Bruno Tribolo, 68, died following separate medical emergencies within sight of the finish at Gran Fondo Torino. While such incidents remain rare relative to the number of riders participating in mass-participation events each year, they have highlighted the importance of cardiovascular screening, rider awareness and rapid emergency response at amateur competitions.
At press time, authorities had not publicly disclosed the rider’s identity or the precise cause of the medical emergency. Local officials are expected to follow standard procedures to determine the circumstances surrounding the death.
Photo Credit: OUEST-FRANCE
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