A renegade squirrel ran into the path of the Levi's GranFondo cycling race in Sonoma County, California, on Saturday, causing an unusual collision that left a cyclist injured and disoriented.

According to The Press-Democrat, the rider – one of 7,000 cyclists participating in the race – took a spill after the squirrel darted onto the course and became lodged in the spokes of his bike. The squirrel died; the man reportedly flipped over his handlebars and hit the ground.

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Several riders stopped to snap photos of the squirrel tangled in the spokes, The Press-Democrat reported.

"It was an oddity," said Monte Rio fire Chief Steve Baxman.

"I’ve never seen a squirrel caught in the spokes."

The cyclist, who said he was from Oakland, was disoriented and seemed to have a head injury, Baxman said. He was treated at a nearby hospital.

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Orange Crush event organizer Steven Smalls looks out at Tybee Island's South Beach, site of the 2025 HBCU spring break festival scheduled for April 19 on Georgia's coast. (Justin Taylor/The Atlanta Journal Constitution)

Credit: Justin Taylor for The Atlanta Journal Constitution