The cycling world is furious after a car made it onto the course of a German race and almost struck one of the riders.
At the SauerlandRundfahrt 2026 event, a Volkswagen vehicle somehow entered the 13.7 kilometer time trial route and began driving towards 21-year-old racer Louis Leidert.
Fortunately, the driver had enough time after the bend to spot the young cyclist and mounted the curb as Leidert diverted away from a horror collision.
There also appeared to be a second car waiting at a junction right next to Leidert’s racing line.
The scary moment, which has been widely circulating on social media, comes three weeks after British rider Finlay Tarling was killed during the Volta a Portugal stage race.
Tarling, 19, tragically passed away after colliding with a non-race vehicle driving towards him.
And the latest disturbing footage of cars on the road of a closed race has enraged fans of the sport.
One viewer said: “Haven’t we learned anything from the fatal accident with a racer during the race?”
While a fellow cycling lover added: “My company run this evening was better cordoned off.”
A third fan reacted: “With the first oncoming vehicle, things could have ended very badly.
Fortunately, nothing happened. Phew!”
A fourth said: “That is simply unacceptable.”
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And another reacted: “Every rider should have refused to ride.”
Tarling passed away last month at the age of just 19 after being hit by a car during the eighth stage of the Volta a Portugal.
Despite a rapid response from the first responders, Tarling suffered cardiorespiratory arrest and couldn’t be revived.
The brother of 2025 points race world champion Josh Tarling, Finlay was a rising star in his own right.
He was a multi-time medallist in junior European track championships and was under contract with the NSN Development Team at the time of the crash.
A GoFundMe has been set up and has raised more than A$180,000 (roughly $129,715.20) so far.
German Ben Zwiehoff won the opening stage time trial, finishing seven seconds ahead of compatriot Miguel Heidemann.
An individual time trial is a race where cyclists ride alone against the clock to cover a set distance in the shortest time.
The SauerlandRundfahrt is a four-day event, concluding with a mountain finale in Winterberg.
