A roadside fan who on Saturday caused a massive crash at the Tour de France is to be sued by the organizers.
The woman had held up a banner slightly into the road and was looking straight at the television motorbike cameras with her back turned on the speeding peloton.
German rider Tony Martin brushed past her, and was knocked off balance racing near the head of the peloton, and when he fell it caused a horrifying domino effect ending in a tangle of bikes and bodies.
Photo: Reuters
DSM’s German rider Jasha Sutterlin was the only one who had to pull out at that moment, but several others were hurt, including spectators.
“We are suing this woman who behaved so badly,” Tour deputy director Pierre-Yves Thouault said.
“We are doing this so that the tiny minority of people who do this don’t spoil the show for everyone,” he added.
Italian champion Sonny Colbrelli and Dutch rider Wout van Aert, who ran over Martin before falling head over heels, had been among the favorites to win the first stage hilltop finish, but were badly delayed.
Two INEOS riders, Richie Porte and Tao Geoghegan Hart, lost time, while champion Tadej Pogacar saw his right hand man, Marc Hirschi, badly hurt.
According to regional newspaper Ouest France the woman who was wearing a yellow jacket fled the scene, and has yet to be found.
Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome escaped serious injury when he got caught up in a second crash.
Four other riders were forced to withdraw from the incidents: Sutterlin, Marc Soler of Spain (Movistar), French rider Cyril Lemoine (BB Hotels) and Lithuania’s Ignatas Konovalovas (Groupama-FDJ).
Many others were also caught out in the mass pileups — the first at 45km caused by the spectator and the second within 8km of the finish, where world champion Julian Alaphilippe claimed the stage victory.
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