Phoenix 24
Caja Rural loses one of its leading protagonists.
PAU, FRANCE — July 2026. Alex Molenaar has been forced to abandon the Tour de France after suffering a fracture to the first metacarpal of his right hand. The Caja Rural–Seguros RGA rider crashed approximately five kilometers from the finish of Wednesday’s fifth stage in Pau. Although visibly shaken, he returned to his bicycle and completed the route. Medical examinations later confirmed that he could not continue racing.
The accident occurred during a tense approach to the final sprint, when a mass crash fractured the peloton and affected riders from several teams. Molenaar crossed the finish line in 180th position, around seven minutes behind stage winner Olav Kooij. The Dutch cyclist reportedly told team personnel that he could not remember how the crash happened, increasing concern over the force of the impact.
His withdrawal represents a significant setback for Caja Rural during its historic return to the Tour after 37 years. Molenaar had become one of the Spanish team’s most visible riders after joining the breakaway during the second stage and securing the polka-dot jersey as leader of the mountains classification. His presence on the podium in Barcelona delivered one of the team’s defining images during the opening weekend.
Caja Rural will begin Thursday’s mountainous sixth stage with seven riders and without one of its principal attackers. The route between Pau and Gavarnie-Gèdre includes the Col d’Aspin and the legendary Tourmalet, offering the first major high-altitude test of this edition. The team must now reorganize its strategy around its remaining climbers and stage hunters.
Molenaar leaves the race earlier than expected, but not without leaving his mark on Caja Rural’s long-awaited Tour comeback. His red-and-white jersey symbolized the ambition of a modest team determined to challenge cycling’s most powerful structures. A violent fall ended his campaign, yet his early performance had already secured its place in the team’s history.
The Tour loses a fighter who had already made himself visible.