Tour de France teams ask fans to behave after mass pile-up
SAINT-GERVAIS MONT-BLANC, France –
Tour de France overall leader Jonas Vingegaard is calling on fans to behave better during cycling’s biggest race after stage 15 was again marred by a massive crash on Sunday.
“I would like to tell the spectators to enjoy the race and cheer us on without standing on the road or pouring beer on us,” said Vingegaard. “Please, just enjoy the race.”
The Danish rider is just 10 seconds ahead of Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar as the race enters its final week.
The incident, which involved about two dozen riders, prompted appeals from several teams in the Tour.
“Please be careful. So that the party continues to be a party for the riders, but also for you. You don’t need a mobile phone to create amazing memories,” the Cofidis team said amid unverified reports that the spectator watching the crash was taking a selfie.
The Ineos Grenadiers team said: “Please give the riders space to race.”
A day after a major pileup forced several riders to retire, the latest accident occurred after 52 kilometers (32 miles) when a spectator on the side of the road accidentally touched American rider Sepp Kuss – a key Vingegaard teammate – and sent him to the ground.
Fans gathering on the side of roads and passing through villages as riders are part of the tradition – and charm – of the Tour, but many spectators can take too many risks, including when running alongside riders on mountain climbs.
Jumbo-Visma said Dylan van Baarle and Nathan van Hooydonck were among those who hit the tarmac on Sunday. Vingegaard drove close to his teammates, but escaped unscathed.
“The team felt pretty good today, although of course we had a crash that affected some of my teammates,” said Vingegaard.
The organizers also asked fans to “watch the riders” after the incident, which did not lead to withdrawals.
Two years ago, a spectator waving a large cardboard sign while leaning into the path of oncoming riders led to a massive jam during the opening stage.
Dutch veteran Wout Poels soloed to victory on Sunday after the tough trip in the Alps.
