Slock Crashes Across The Line And Still Wins GP Gippingen In One Of Cycling's Wildest Finishes
Liam Slock claimed the biggest victory of his career at the 2026 GP Gippingen on Sunday in the most improbable fashion imaginable, beating Aleksandr Vlasov and Richard Carapaz in a three-rider sprint at Leuggern — and then sliding across the line on his hip after his front wheel slipped from under him as he raised both arms to celebrate. It was a finish that left officials, riders and spectators momentarily unsure of what they had just witnessed, before confirmation arrived that the Belgian had indeed crossed the line first.
The 25-year-old had timed his effort to perfection after a relentless, hilly finale that shredded the field. Riding for Lotto, Slock followed the decisive late move and then jumped from the front of the leading trio inside the final 200 metres. He had a clear gap when, in the act of throwing his arms wide, his bike washed out beneath him. Slock hit the tarmac and slid forward, his momentum carrying him over the line ahead of his rivals as the chasers bore down.
Vlasov, the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe rider who had marked Slock all the way to the line, was credited with second place on the same time, while Carapaz of EF Education-EasyPost took third at one second. Both men sat up in disbelief as the jury reviewed the photo finish, the kind of celebration-gone-wrong that will be replayed for years to come.
For Slock it was a first elite professional victory, and a result that vindicates the faith Lotto have shown in a rider who has spent recent seasons in a supporting role. Bruised but beaming, he returned to the line to collect the bouquet, the grazes on his arm a small price for a breakthrough win that announces him as a genuine threat in the punchy one-day races.
GP Gippingen, the long-running Swiss one-day classic also known as the Grand Prix du Canton d'Argovie, carried added significance this year as one of the final racing days before the WorldTour's attention swings to the Tour de Suisse, which begins on Wednesday. With several Tour de France contenders using the Swiss roads as a final sharpening exercise, the race offered a revealing snapshot of form. Vlasov and Carapaz both signalled that their legs are coming good at exactly the right moment, even if neither could deny Slock his moment of chaos.
The hilly Argovie circuit, with its repeated short climbs and technical run-in, has long rewarded riders willing to gamble in the closing kilometres, and the 2026 edition was no exception. Attacks flew across the final lap before the front group was whittled to the decisive three. That it ended with the winner on the ground rather than upright did nothing to diminish the achievement — if anything, it guaranteed that Slock's name will be remembered far beyond the borders of Switzerland.
Attention now turns to the climbs of the Tour de Suisse, where Tadej Pogacar makes his debut and Carapaz and Vlasov will both line up among the overall contenders. For Slock, a quieter role likely awaits, but he heads into the heart of the summer with a victory that no one who saw it will soon forget.