When the charging bunch hit a speed bump on the final bend just 150 metres from the finish of a stage at Le Tour de La Provence, crash carnage ensued.
Here's something you, thankfully, don't see every day; a bunch sprint in full flight hitting a speed bump on the final corner of a race just 150 metres from the finish line.
The lax lay-out greeted the pro bunch at the end of stage 2 of Le Tour de La Provence in France today, Wednesday.
Having ridden 199km from Miramas into stage finish town Istres, the bunch arrived intact with Etixx-QuickStep clearly determined to win.
Its fastmen Davide Martinelli and Fernando Gaviria were on the front rounding the final sweeping left hander and while they got over the speed bump right on the bend, the rider third in line came down.
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And his falling caused carnage behind, although as this video shows it probably could have been worse.
Martinelli sailed over the line for his first pro win having just stepped up to WorldTour level recently and his team mate came home 2nd for a perfect result for the Belgian outfit.
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From the carnage behind emerged Daniele Ratto (Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec) to round out the podium and with one stage remaining Thomas Voeckler (Direct Energie) still leads having won stage 1 solo.
The stage winner, Martinelli is the rider who frustrated many Irish cycling fans when he refused to work with Eddie Dunbar in the breakaway at the U23 World Championships last year.
He was leading out his team mate today but when they both found themselves ahead of the race due to the crash, Gaviria gifted his young team mate the stage; his first pro win.
Too stupid for words really...
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