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Crashing is never great, but AG2R-Citroën racer Stan Dewulf had a nasty surprise as he hit the deck and landed into a pile of manure during the GP Denain on Thursday.
Dewulf was in a chasing group in the final kilometers of the one-day French race and was trying to negotiate a corner on the cobbles when the fall happened.
Colombian sprinter Juan Sébastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates) later won in a reduced bunch sprint as the pack split into bits, but Dewulf’s detour made the headlines.
The 25-year-old Belgian misjudged the corner and went straight on as his chase companions rode away into the distance.
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Dewulf couldn’t stop his bike and had no choice but to land sideways into the mound of manure, which had been piled high on the outside of the corner.
While the pile of poo may have saved him from any major injuries, it will have been a smelly ride to the finish. Dewulf did ride on, ultimately crossing it 3:37 behind the day’s winner Juan Sébastian Molano.
It’s a good job AG2R-Citroën already rides with brown shorts as those stains are going to be tough to get out of Dewulf’s white jersey.
Hopefully the manure offers a soft landing #GPDenain pic.twitter.com/AXYI6n8eCp
— the Inner Ring (@inrng) March 16, 2023