bikewriter

The end of the race today was crazy, all the Spanish fans crowding around the riders. Pretty exciting, but I can imagine, a bit dangerous too (remember Lance and the handbag?). Have any Tour fans ever gotten in trouble for going too far?

anthropete

In one of the recent stages (I can't remeber which) one of the riders in the breakaway was pushed forward by a roadside fan. Not that it helped him or hurt him, but I was told by a friend that the riders can get in trouble for this. Is this true? I can't imagine that being the case, it would be so unfair b/c it's not like the rider asked for a push. I definitely think the fans are too close on these mountain stages. They need some barriers or something b/c people get drunk and sloppy and its way too dangerous.

Pete
https://www.viovio.com/anthropete

'nother

I did not see it but on OLN today they said one of the motorcycles ran over one of the spectators who had gotten onto the course.

I know the riders at the TdF level are probably used to it, but it still must be so freakin' nuts to have the people so close, waving the banners and running alongside of them like that. It's a wonder there aren't more incidents.

thelung

Yeah things can get really out of hand, its amazing how lax the security is. If this was in the US there would be riot cops shooting tear gas into the crowds on some of these climbs.

genec

Not just the crowding, but the back slaps and water thrown... at one point LA was very startled by a bunch of water thrown at his back. Ullrich was getting lots of butt support. My wife was amazed at the riders having to put up with those tight crowds.

spider-man

They have a couple of photos of the guy getting hit by the 'sickle at Velo News: https://www.velonews.com/tour2005/det...es/8527.0.html

For the record, I think there's a long history of Tour fans doing stupid things. In one of the first races, at least one rider was beaten up.

qmsdc15

I really should have felt sorry for the bonehead who fell down in front of the motorcycle. I don't feel good about enjoying that. I love it when a runner gets grabbed by a fan or gendarme and thrown to the side of the road.

Bike nut

Did anyone see the guy in the bunny suit a few stages ago? He did not get in way but he was hopping up and down cheering on the cyclists. It was funny, my little boy loved it. I also miss the commericals from last year were they show that one announcer with his picture plasted on another riding so it looks like he is riding with "the boys."

Camel

The "handbag" incident happened around a bend, along a section where the roadway itself was pretty clear of fans (as opposed to near the tops of climbs-where fans encroach the entire roadway). It seemed to be just happenstance that Lance was riding near the fans, one of which was not paying attention and raised the empty feedbag-or turned with it-at the wrong time, hooking him.

--I missed the end of todays stage , hope to catch the highlights tommorrow.

You see boistrous ones getting yanked by the Gendarme on occassion. I'd surmise that 100's are arrested annually (most probably for public lewdness/intoxication), being that its such a huge crowd over the entire country.


The riders can (and do) get time penalties for this! You'll usually see the rider take a swing at the fan-and rightly so!

They can also get time penalties for taking water/food from another teams team car. They can accept water from fans, however you'll notice most riders don't drink these-they use them to cool down (as they've no idea whats actually in there).

They can also get penalized for drafting the team/official cars, but the judges usually overlook the instances where riders are returning to the pelaton following a crash/mechanical or visit with the race doctors car.

mac

I'm shocked when I see this. Us civilized Americans don't interfere with sporting events. You may get one or two yahoos run across the football field naked between plays, but to think of even getting so close where you are actually on the playing surface (in the street) and can touch the players is just wrong. Where are the tour coordinators? Where are the ushers? Where are the police? I'd be pissed if I was riding 100+ miles and had to dodge people who might knock me over and out of the race. You darn cycling hooligans, you!

Randymac

Yes Pete,

A rider can be disqualified if an overly exuberant fan gives him a push. Its up to the race officials to determine if the rider received any benefit. It doesn't matter that the rider didn't ask for it. Just imagine you're 1 meter from the finish, just about to win the stage when the rider right behind you gets a push, passes you stealing the win. What if that push was prearranged? Hence the no assistance rule.

CRUM

Civilized Americans? You are joking of course. Americans are so cicilized we have been cordoned off from most team sports for , well, like forever. What I find interesting is the civility of the racers themselves. Do you think a Roger Clement would put up with water in his face, or any pro basketball player? There would be some serious thumping going on. You are comparing apples to oranges here. The Tour does not fit into any clean analogy with other team sports.

mac

I don't see any issues with the marathon and that's 26.2 miles. During the recent Greek Olympics (i.e. non-American event), all of the fans were behind metal barriers and only 1 nut ran onto the course. When I watch the TDF, I see hundreds of nuts standing in the streets crowding the athletes. I find that disrespectful to the athletes and to the sport. Maybe it's a European thing. After all, they have soccer hooligans which is something us civilized Americans do not have.

DieselDan

I do recall a spectator knocking the leader on the road off his bike on l'Aple d' Huez in 1995.

Eddie Merkx was beaten up by an overzealous French fan in 1976 while attempting his 6th victory. Eddie couldn't recover the lost time, and the fan was found guilty of assault and served three years.

In the Tour de Georgia, the fans there get almost as unrulely as French/Spanish/Basque/German fans. I've been there and seen it first hand.

As for pushing, race officals will penilize if they feel the rider recieved significant help. A rider can avoid a penilty by falling back to the rider or riders he was with.

MichaelW

One of the all-time great tour moments:
1994 TdF at Armentières, a gendarme stepped into the race to take a photo, bringing down a bunch of riders and removing some of Laurent Jalabert's teeth.

oboeguy

Totally changed the direction of Ja-Ja's career, no less. He re-focused on things other than sprinting after that.

I remember... was it in '91? Chiapucci was climbing Sestrières and the crowds were so thick he had to physically push his way through. Amazing moment.

I wish the runners would all get taken down. Bunch of morons. I also have a problem with the Basque separatists who were throwing stones at race vehicles. Yeah, they want independence, but throwing stones at the Tour? I guess it's better than the car bombs and such that they've been doing for decades.

Anyhow, I have no problem with the "parting seas" crowds -- it's part of cycling and has been forever. I fear, though, that it's a matter of time before a malicious attack takes place.

CRUM

As I said before, it's apple and oranges. Every sport has developed it's traditions, good and bad. For instance, the trashing and rioting that happens in the various hometowns that have recently won the SuperBowl, the Series, College Basketball championships. Try sitting sometime in Yankee stadium wearing an Oriole Hat or worse, a Red Sox hat and then tell me about the civility of American fans. Fanatical fans are found everywhere. Go ahead and feel holier than thou. But you are living in a fool's paradise.

cookiepuss

As some others pointed out before it has already happened. I worry that some of the overly zealous fans might try to sabatoge another rider. Say you are French and want a French rider to win. All you'd have to do is mix in with the crowd and as LA comes by stick a pipe or other object in his spokes. With the throngs of people you could probably slip away in the panic. Only to do it to another rider at a different point.


I'd be worried if I were a rider.

timmhaan

it has gotten out of hand especially when there are death threats involved. no one deserves that. if some fans continue along this path we'll see cycling events with increased secruity, body guards, less interaction with fans before\after races, etc. nobody wants that. i wish people would just chill out and enjoy the event. i love cycling because you can get close to the riders and see the action right in front of you usually for free. i would hate to see that go away.

oboeguy

Yes, I should have written "another malicious attack". Eddy Merckx was a victim of a punch that according to legend ruined his attempt at a sixth TdF victory.

CyberCycle

Take a look at the video from the 3rd stage of the Giro Italia this year, a fan tries to kick one or the riders (Petachhi I believe) and gets water bottles thrown at him and even a few of the cyclists taking a swing at him.

mms://wmediavod.coltfrance.com/wmeurosports/eurosport/2005/05/10/giro_3_20152_3_18_0_240x180.wmv

They are crazy all over the world...

mac

Kashechkin struck in face by a fan

This is terrible! Where is the security on the TDF? Where are the police to arrest the guy and charge him with assault? Even if it was an accident, the TDF organizers are still at fault for not blocking off the entire course (yes, all 2000+ miles of it). I'm sure they can find enough volunteers to set up barriers, etc.

CRUM

I think you should send them a letter.

Helmet Head

Easier said than done.

We're talking 10s of kilometers per day, both sides of the road, and all taken down and moved to the next stage each day. Setting up barriers for the last kilometer is hard enough. Doing all the climbs on the big mountain days is understood to be an impossible task.

mac

Well how about two groups of motorcycle police ******* a mile or two ahead to clear out the road and overlap each other to make sure the athletes are protected? As the leader passes each cop, he then drives to the front. Thus, a moving barrier of protection.