Two kangaroos sparked chaos during the final stage of the Tour Down Under on Sunday, after leaping onto the course and hitting several riders in the Adelaide Hills.
Footage of the incident shows a kangaroo appearing on the 170-kilometer course with about 100 kilometers remaining, taking out the race leader in its path.
Moments later, a second kangaroo appeared, adding to the chaos.
Riders described the scene as surreal, with some saying the animals “threw themselves in front of the peloton.”
Live commentators were also left shaken, with one saying: “Oh it’s a kangaroo! Never seen that before.”
“Unfortunately, some hazards you just can’t plan for. Some wildlife you can’t tell to get out of the way,” said another.
The crash occurred during the Tour’s longest stage, featuring steep climbs, eight laps around the Adelaide Hills, and temperatures reaching over 100F.
Despite the chaos, the race continued, though several riders were forced to withdraw due to injuries.
One of the kangaroos had to be euthanized due to its injuries, while the other escaped unharmed.
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Race director Stuart O’Grady called the stage “one of the best” he had seen but admitted the crash stole the spotlight.
Aussie cycling star Jay Vine, who was among those caught in the crash, avoided serious injury and ultimately held onto his lead to claim a second Tour Down Under title.
“Everyone asks me what’s the most dangerous thing in Australia and I always tell them it’s kangaroos,” Vine told Channel 7.
“Because they wait and they hide in the bushes until you can’t stop and they jump out in front of you. Point proven today, two of them blasted through the peloton as we were doing probably 50km/h.
“One of them stopped, went left, right, left, right, left, right and I ended up hitting its backside as it was flaying around on the ground.
“It’s one of those things, bad luck, luckily I’m OK and glad I’m able to hold onto the (winning) jersey.”
Vine was able to quickly remount and, after a bike change, was back on his way, eventually finishing safely in the main group behind British star Matthew Brennan, who won a sprint to the finish line after a brutal climbing stage.
Footage of the bizarre incident has since gone viral on social media, with many saying it “cannot get anymore Aussie than that.”
Others, called for a “ban of the dangerous bikes” to prevent further harm to wildlife.
