A 28-year-old cyclist was airlifted to a hospital in Toulouse after a serious high-speed crash during the 45th La Lapébie, the Pyrenean cyclosportive that departed from Bagnères-de-Luchon on Sunday 13 September 2026.
According to French regional media, the rider left the roadway and plunged roughly 15 metres into a ravine while descending the Col du Portillon, about 2 kilometres from the summit, at around 13:00 local time. Emergency crews reached the scene and stabilised him before a rescue helicopter transported him to a hospital in Toulouse. His identity and condition have not been publicly confirmed.
The incident occurred on the event’s demanding Gran Camin route, which tackles the Col des Ares, the Col de Menté and the Col du Portillon before briefly crossing into Spain en route to a summit finish at Superbagnères. The Col du Portillon, a recurring Tour de France climb since 1957, straddles the French-Spanish border at 1,293 metres and includes a steep, technical descent.
Organiser OSES, which has run La Lapébie since taking over the event in 2024, had not issued a public statement on the incident at press time. Before the event, the organiser warned on Facebook of dangerous conditions on the route: “DESCENT OF THE COL DU PORTILLON: EXTREMELY DANGEROUS Loose gravel present: exercise extreme caution, adjust speed, and maintain controlled lines.”
The cyclosportive, founded in 1988 in tribute to the Lapébie cycling family, drew approximately 500 riders across its three routes on Sunday.
Gran Fondo Daily News will update this story as further details, including the rider’s condition, become available.
Photo Credit: file photo
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