The 30-year-old French woman and the large cardboard sign that caused a mass crash during Saturday’s opening stage of this year’s Tour de France.
Photograph: Tour de France
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The 30-year-old French woman and the large cardboard sign that caused a mass crash during Saturday’s opening stage of this year’s Tour de France.
Photograph: Tour de France
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Tour de France withdraws lawsuit against spectator who caused crash
This article is more than 4 years old
Woman who held up large sign had been in police custody
‘This story has been blown out of proportion,’ says Tour director
Tour de France officials have withdrawn a lawsuit against a spectator who caused a mass crash during the opening stage of the race.
The spectator, a 30-year-old French woman, was in custody at a police station in Landerneau, Brittany, the northwest French region where the world’s biggest cycling event held its first four stages.
She was holding a cardboard sign
and facing away from the cyclists towards a television camera as they passed. German Tony Martin, from the Jumbo–Visma team, was sent tumbling when he rode straight into the sign, and a large number of other riders also fell.
“We are withdrawing our complaint. This story has been blown out of proportion but we wish to remind everyone of the safety rules on the race,” Tour director Christian Prudhomme said. “If you come to the Tour, you hold your kid, you hold your pet and don’t cross the road carelessly. And above all, you respect the riders – they’re the ones worthy of live TV.”
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On Tuesday, Tour riders brought the race to a halt for about a minute during the fourth stage in a silent protest for safer racing conditions after numerous crashes.
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