While this was just one of many downed trees on the route, the riders faced hailstones the size of golf balls, driving rain and gaels that brought them to a near stop.
The clip and photos below were captured on stage 1 of the Tour of Poland on Sunday; the riders tackling 226km that came down to a bunch sprint won by Yauheni Hutarovich (AG2R La Mondiale).
Ireland's Philip Deignan of Team Sky was safely in the bunch and will look to make his mark in coming days on the climbs.
However, the race result wasn't the story of the day; it was the conditions the riders were forced to race in.
Not only were the riders pelted with torrential rain and a block headwind that almost stopped them in their tracks, literally, at some points; they were also battered by giant hail stones.
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Many felt the breezy conditions were so treacherous the stage should have been halted or neutralised. But the real danger was the trees and debris the stormy conditions blew onto the road.
It caused numerous crashes, as our photos below show; with some riders being forced out of the race due to their injuries.
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Some of the photos suggested a wet stage, but nothing crazy...
... but shots like these, featuring Janez Brajkovič (Astana), showed the extent of the debris on the road; absolutely lethal in the wet.
In the same spill, some of the riders were forced off the road by the breeze.
An FDJ rider gathers himself after the debris caused a huge pile up and complete chaos on the road.
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