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Tour de France: French police arrest man who threw crisps at Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard

Published 14/07/2024 at 10:51 GMT

Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard faced a barrage of crisps at the Tour de France on Saturday after a spectator decided to interfere. Fortunately, both riders continued up the final climb on a pulsating day of action as Pogacar stretched his lead in the yellow jersey to almost two minutes. Adam Hansen, the head of CPA Cycling, confirmed the fan was arrested by French police after the stage.

'My blood is boiling' – Spectator throws crisps in face of Pogacar and Vingegaard

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'Greatest rivalry Tour has ever seen' - Reaction as Pogacar usurps Vingegaard

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Tour de France Fan Is Fined for Causing Huge Crash in June

The fan’s cardboard sign, held up for television cameras with a message for her grandparents, sent dozens of cyclists tumbling to the ground.

By Aurelien Breeden

PARIS — A French court on Thursday convicted and fined a Tour de France spectator whose cardboard sign caused a pileup of dozens of cyclists during the world-famous competition in June.

The spectator, a 31-year-old woman who has not been publicly identified, was found guilty by a criminal court in Brest of reckless endangerment and involuntarily causing injuries.

The woman, who stepped onto the road during the race and had her back to the cyclists, was fined 1,200 euros, or about $1,350 — far less than the maximum penalties she was facing.

The charges under consideration carried a possible one-year prison term and a fine of €15,000. At the woman’s trial, in October, prosecutors requested a four-month suspended prison sentence. She did not have a previous criminal record.

The crash occurred on June 26 in the Finistère area of Brittany, in western France, less than 30 miles from the finish line in the first of the race’s 21 stages.

The woman, who wore a bright yellow jacket, was facing television cameras and holding a piece of cardboard bearing an affectionate message for her grandparents — longtime fans of the Tour who were watching from Paris — when a German rider, Tony Martin, hit the sign.

Mr. Martin fell to the ground, setting off a cascade of collisions in the middle of the main cluster of cyclists zooming by. Several injured riders were forced to drop out of the competition.

Video of the pileup quickly went viral, focusing intense media scrutiny on the woman, who left the scene before the police could reach her. Prosecutors opened an investigation, and the woman turned herself in four days later.

Crashes caused by reckless spectators or vehicles are not uncommon during professional cycling competitions , in which thousands of cheering fans line roads right next to the cyclists.

During the 2016 Tour, spectators who blocked a television motorcycle created such chaos that the holder of the race leader’s yellow jersey had to briefly head up a mountain pass on foot to try to maintain his lead.

Aurelien Breeden has covered France from the Paris bureau since 2014. He has reported on some of the worst terrorist attacks to hit the country, the dismantling of the migrant camp in Calais and France's tumultuous 2017 presidential election. More about Aurelien Breeden

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Tour de France: Police arrest spectator who caused mass crash on stage one

Unnamed French woman is in custody at a police station in Landerneau, Brittany after triggering mass pile-up during stage one; defending champion Tadej Pogacar seizes control of this year's race with victory in the stage five time trial as Mathieu van der Poel retains yellow jersey

Wednesday 30 June 2021 17:15, UK

The spectator who caused a mass crash during the first stage of the Tour de France has been arrested after presenting herself at a police station.

The unnamed fan, a 30-year-old French woman, is in custody at a police station in Landerneau, Brittany, the northwest French region where the Tour de France held its first four stages.

The spectator was holding a cardboard sign with a message saying 'Allez Opi-Omi' ('Go Granny and Grandpa') and leaning slightly into the road, while looking in the opposite direction to the approaching peloton.

German cyclist Tony Martin was unable to avoid the sign and tumbled to the road, leading to a massive pile-up of riders, with 47 kilometres left of the stage on Saturday.

Another German rider, Jasha Sutterlin, was the only cyclist who had to abandon the race but several people were hurt, including spectators.

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A senior race official said organisers will be taking legal action against the spectator.

"We are suing this woman who behaved so badly," Tour deputy director Pierre-Yves Thouault told the AFP news agency.

Police search for TdF spectator who caused stage one crash

Alaphilippe in yellow after crash-marred opening Tour stage

"We are doing this so that the tiny minority of people who do this don't spoil the show for everyone."

There was also a second multi-rider crash about 7.5km (4.6 miles) from the finish which brought down several riders, including four-time champion Chris Froome.

Another huge crash occurred in a nervy finale on narrow roads on Monday, leading the Tour de France riders to collectively bring Tuesday's fourth stage to a halt for about a minute in a silent protest for safer racing conditions.

Pogacar wins stage five as Van der Poel retains yellow

Meanwhile, defending champion Tadej Pogacar seized control of this year's race with victory in the stage five-time trial as Geraint Thomas and Primoz Roglic battled through the pain barrier to limit their losses.

Pogacar, who dramatically rode into yellow in the stage 20 time trial of last year's Tour, could not quite repeat the feat as Mathieu van der Poel took fifth place to retain the leader's jersey by eight seconds.

But the Slovenian's victory on the day - by 19 seconds from European time trial champion Stefan Kung - was a major statement to his general classification rivals.

Having been one of the few overall contenders to have avoided major trouble during a bruising few days in Brittany, Pogacar now has a significant time advantage.

But Roglic, heavily bandaged from his stage three crash, looked strong as he clocked the seventh fastest time on the day, moving back up into the top 10 overall as a result - though he is one minute and 40 down on his compatriot.

Thomas, strapped up after dislocating his shoulder on Monday, finished 16th on the day, conceding 78 seconds to Pogacar but the Welshman still moved up six places to 12th overall.

"I think I rode the best TT I could, really," Thomas said. "I think I went out conservatively, maybe a bit too conservatively but it's just what I had really.

"Obviously I didn't feel 100 per cent but I don't want to bang on about that, I tried to do what I could and it wasn't enough really.

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Tour de France: Police search for spectator who caused big crash after holding out sign

Cyclist Tony Martin rode into the sign and was sent tumbling, which led to a domino effect as other riders also hit the ground.

Monday 28 June 2021 04:55, UK

Police are searching for a spectator who caused a large pile-up during the opening stage of this year's Tour de France and then is believed to have left the scene.

The woman held up a cardboard sign at the roadside as a group of cyclists approached on Saturday.

She appeared to look straight at the television motorbike cameras with her back turned on the pack of riders.

German rider Tony Martin then rode into the sign, which said "Allez Opi-Omi" (Come on granddad-granny, in a mix of French and German), and he was sent tumbling.

This led to a domino effect, with a number of other riders also hitting the ground, around 47km (29 miles) from the end of the Brest-Landerneau stage.

The narrow road was almost entirely blocked by stricken riders and broken bikes.

A statement from local police said a judicial investigation is under way into the incident and the force was asking for information from members of the public.

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Officers said the woman was wearing glasses, a yellow jacket, a red and white jumper, and blue jeans.

Another German rider, Jasha Sutterlin, was the only cyclist who had to abandon the race but several people were hurt, including spectators.

A senior race official reportedly said organisers will be taking legal action against the woman.

"We are suing this woman who behaved so badly," Tour deputy director Pierre-Yves Thouault told the AFP news agency.

"We are doing this so that the tiny minority of people who do this don't spoil the show for everyone," he said.

Tour organisers have warned fans to "respect the safety of the riders" and "don't risk everything for a photo or to get on television".

⚠ We're glad to have the public on the side of the road on the #TDF2021 . But for the Tour to be a success, respect the safety of the riders! Don't risk everything for a photo or to get on television! pic.twitter.com/eA6nnhRhWv — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) June 26, 2021

A tweet said: "We're glad to have the public on the side of the road on the #TDF2021.

"But for the Tour to be a success, respect the safety of the riders!

"Don't risk everything for a photo or to get on television!"

There was also a second crash about 7.5km (4.6 miles) from the finish which brought down several riders, including British cyclist Chris Froome.

Froome then got back on his bike after being seen by a race doctor and was able to cross the line. The stage was won by Julian Alaphilippe of France.

Froome was able to take part in today's second stage.

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Tour de France: Police search for missing fan who caused huge crash with sign

The spectator responsible reportedly fled the scene and is yet to be found by authorities, article bookmarked.

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Police are searching for the fan who caused a large crash on Saturday’s stage 1 of the Tour de France.

The race’s organisers are reportedly intent on suing the spectator who caused a mass crash during Saturday’s stage 1.

The fan responsible for the accident was brandishing a large cardboard sign with a message to her grandparents as she stood on the side of the road.

FOLLOW LIVE: Tour de France 2021 Stage 3 updates

The spectator was facing away from the peloton, grinning obliviously to a TV camera , as she caused the crash.

Those riders who avoided the incident took it easy in an effort to let the rest catch up ahead of the final climb of the day.

Now, Tour organisers are set to pursue legal action against the fan, who reportedly fled the scene and is still yet to be found.

According to L’Equipe , authorities are seeking the fan with French authorities investigating the action.

The police said they intend to charge the unnamed spectator with “unintentional short-term injury through a manifestly deliberate breach of a duty of safety or care”.

“We are suing this woman who behaved so badly,” Tour deputy director Pierre-Yves Thouault told AFP.

“We are doing this so that the tiny minority of people who do this don’t spoil the show for everyone.”

In the wake of Saturday’s crash, an official Tour statement read: “We’re glad to have the public on the side of the road on the #TDF2021 . But for the Tour to be a success, respect the safety of the riders!

“Don’t risk everything for a photo or to get on television!”

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Police finally catch on-the-run Tour de France fan who caused horror crash

A fugitive cycling fan who caused a mass crash of Tour de France riders with a hand-written sign has been arrested by police five days after the pileup, a source close to the investigation said on Wednesday.

The unidentified woman, caught on TV cameras holding her cardboard sign in a yellow rain coat, sparked a debate about safety and spectator conduct after the accident on Saturday that left dozens of riders nursing bruises.

“The woman has been formally identified and she was taken into custody a few minutes ago,” a source told AFP after the state prosecutor for the city of Brest, Camille Miansoni, confirmed that “a suspect is in custody”.

The accident on the first stage of the race occurred between Brest and Landerneau in northwestern Britanny when the woman, facing away from the riders and towards the cameras, held up the sign which read “Allez Opi-Omi”, which translates as “Go, grandpa and granny”.

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Positioned on the edge of a group of tightly packed riders, German cyclist Tony Martin hit the sign and fell, bringing down dozens of others who were following behind him.

The pileup delayed the stage for five minutes while bikes and bodies were untangled.

Amid the chaos, the woman was seen reeling away in horror before disappearing into the deep roadside crowd, her sign folded away beneath her arm.

Her use of “Opi-Omi” - two diminutive terms for grandparents in German - led to speculation that she was from Germany, but the source confirmed to AFP that the arrested woman was French.

No other details were given.

“We’ll know more tomorrow morning,” prosecutor Miansoni said.

The incident and a series of crashes on the second and third stages of the race angered teams and led to the entire peloton staging a symbolic protest at the start of Tuesday’s fourth stage.

Riders all came to a stop for a brief period, before setting off again at a leisurely pace.

After Saturday’s crash, the deputy director of the Tour, Pierre-Yves Thouault, told AFP that the organisers intended to sue the culprit.

“We are doing this so that the tiny minority of people who do this do not spoil the show for everyone,” he said.

The woman is expected to be charged with causing “unintentional short-term injury through a manifestly deliberate breach of a duty of safety or care.”

Thousands of cheering spectators packed on to the sides of the narrow racing streets are typical scenes during the Tour de France as it makes its way around the country.

But despite the best efforts of thousands of security forces, accidents and infringements occur.

The race had to slow down at the weekend in Britanny due to fans spilling on to the road, while youths also set off flares and fireworks at one section as the riders were speeding past them.

Writing on Instagram after the crash, Martin thanked cycling fans for their support, but criticised people “next to the road who think that the Tour de France is a circus”.

He also took aim at those who “think it’s nice to show their naked butt, to drunken people who push us sideways on the climbs, to people who think that it is a good idea to hold a sign into the road while the peloton is passing.”

“Please respect the riders and the Tour de France!” he wrote. “Use your head or stay home!”

Reports: Police arrest fan who caused Tour de France crash

PARIS (AP) — Police on Wednesday arrested a fan involved in a massive pileup at the Tour de France during the opening stage at cycling’s biggest event, local media reported.

The fan brandished a large cardboard sign while leaning into the path of oncoming riders. She appeared to be looking in the other direction, apparently at a camera, and not at the approaching peloton.

The woman, not publicly identified, was arrested by gendarmes in the Finistere region who tracked her down based on “solid” accounts from people questioned this week, France Bleu Finistere said, citing a source close to the probe. Investigators had spoken to dozens of people since the incident on Saturday, the local radio station said.

Tour organizers had announced after the crash on the stage from Brest to Landerneau that they would start legal proceedings against the fan, who disappeared from the crash scene. She had leaned into the path of veteran rider Tony Martin, who fell off his bike and took dozens of others down in his slipstream. German rider Jasha Sutterlin was forced to abandon the race.

The Gendarmerie du Landerneau, east of Brest, had put out a call for witnesses shortly after the pileup. It refused to comment on the reported arrest. 

Fans gathering on the sides of roads and in villages as riders pass by is part of the tradition and charm of the Tour. But the woman in question leaned into the path of cyclists with her sign that read “Allez Opi-Omi,” a mix of French and German-language terms of endearment for grandparents – “Go Grandpa-Grandma.”

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Spectator Who Caused Massive Tour de France Crash Arrested After Days-Long Search: Report

The unidentified female fan in a yellow jacket was seen holding a sign and venturing too far into the road with her back to oncoming cyclists

The woman who caused the massive pileup during the Tour de France has been arrested.

The unidentified female spectator, 30, was arrested after she presented herself at a police station, according to Reuters which reported on Wednesday that she remains in custody at a police station in Landerneau, an area in Brittany, where the tour held its first four stages.

The woman's arrest comes days after law enforcement officials from the Finistère area announced on Facebook that they opened an investigation into the cause of "involuntary Injuries with Disabilities not exceeding 3 months by manifestly deliberate breach of an obligation of safety or caution," adding, "The viewer causing this accident left the scene before the investigators arrived."

Tour deputy director Pierre-Yves Thouault also told the AFP : "We are suing this woman who behaved so badly. We are doing this so that the tiny minority of people who do this don't spoil the show for everyone."

The fine for the spectator could reach 1,500 euros (approximately $1,780), German television network RTL reported. However, the fine could increase if German cyclist Jasha Sutterlin, who was forced to withdraw from the tour following the crash, files his own complaint against the spectator.

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In video footage from the June 26 crash, which took place in the first stage of the race from Brest to Landerneau, the unidentified female fan in a yellow jacket was seen holding a sign and venturing too far into the road with her back to oncoming cyclists.

Her sign, which read "Allez Opi-Omi" (which translates from French and German to "Come on granddad-granny"), caused German cyclist Tony Martin to lose control of his bike, leading to a massive pileup.

It took approximately 25 kilometers (more than 15 miles) for the peloton to fully regroup.

The world's largest cycling event, which was postponed last year due to COVID, will continue through July 18, with the participants covering roughly 3,414 kilometers over 21 days of biking and two rest days.

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French police using Facebook to track down fan who caused Tour de France crash

Authorities are searching for the fan who stepped into the path of the peloton on the opening stage of the 2021 Tour

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French police are searching for the spectator who caused a huge crash on stage one of the Tour de France . 

The authorities are believed to be using Facebook to track down the fan, who caused a major pile-up when she stepped in front of Jumbo-Visma ’s Tony Martin while trying to get her placard television during the opening stage.

Officers from Gendarmerie du Finistère have shared an appeal on Facebook urging anyone with information to come forward. 

A statement on the force’s Facebook page, released on Sunday (June 27), said: “In the framework of an accident on 26/06/21 on the RD30 municipality of St Cadou , during the first stage of Tour de France 2021, a judicial investigation is opened for ‘involuntary injuries by deliberate breach of an obligation of safety or caution’.

“The spectator causing this accident left the scene before the investigators arrived. She was wearing glasses and dressed in blue jeans, red and white stripe sweater, yellow jacket (waxed). She holds a sign supporting the inscription ′’ALLEZ OPI-IMO!’

“Anyone with information is kindly asked to call the Finistère Gendarmerie Operational Centre.” 

According to a report in French newspaper L’Equipe , police are now seeking the fan who could face one year in prison and a €15,000 (£12,800).

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The incident, which happened with around 45km remaining of stage one from Brest to Landerneau in Brittany, caused a huge stir both inside and outside of cycling.

TV images from the crash showed the spectator leaning into the road in the path of the peloton while trying to get in front of broadcast camera.

The spectator put herself in the path of the Jumbo-Visma train at the right-hand side of the road, with Tony Martin unable to avoid her.

As Martin went down, the crash caused a chain reaction in the peloton with dozens of riders hitting the tarmac.

Amongst the chaos, one rider was forced to abandon the 2021 Tour, as Jasha Sütterlin (Team DSM) became the first rider to abandon this year’s race. 

Tour de France organiser ASO has also said it plans to take legal action against the spectator. 

Deputy director of the Tour Pierre-Yves Thoualt told AFP news agency: “We are suing this woman who behaved so badly.

“We are doing this so that the tiny minority of people who do this don’t spoil the show for everyone.” 

>>> Tour de France: Who's out after stage two of the 2021 race?

The opening stage of the Tour de France saw thousands of fans gather at the side of the road to enjoy the racing, as the easing of lockdown restrictions allowed spectators to watch the racing live. 

A Twitter statement from the Tour organisers said: ‘We’re glad to have the public on the side of the road on the Tour de France 2021, but for the Tour to be a success, respect the safety of the riders.

“Don’t risk everything for a photo or to get on television.” 

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Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers.  Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.

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Tour de France spectator arrested after throwing chips at Pogačar and Vingegaard, will be questioned by police today

Report in French newspaper Le Parisien states that man spent night in cell after 'a very drunken afternoon'

The Tour de France spectator who threw chips at Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard on the climb to Pla d’Adet during stage 14 has reportedly been arrested for “aggravated violence” and is due to be questioned by police today.

As great crowds welcomed the top GC riders in Saturday’s final, the ‘fan’ soured the atmosphere as he threw the contents of his chip packet into the faces of the favourites. This led stage winner Pogačar to shake his head in the moments following and Vingegaard to question why someone would come to a bike race to do this speaking post-stage.

Le Parisien reported that the man was quickly taken into custody after he repeated his offence to Pogačar on Visma’s leader Vingegaard inside the final few kilometres of the climb. However, they could not question him yesterday evening as they waited for him to sober up. 

“He was with a group of very nice friends, cycling fans, like us. We got to know each other well, talked about everything, cycling, Brittany and played shuffleboard. But he had a very drunken afternoon,” said an eyewitness to the French newspaper.

The eyewitness was as confused at the man in question’s behaviour as the riders and commentators alike, with EF Education-Easypost manager Jonathan Vaughters later questioning on Eurosport “Are you there to be a cycling fan, do you love the sport?”.

However, according to the witness, the offending spectator was quickly and thankfully taken away to prevent him from interfering with any of the other riders on the final climb.

“[A nearby police officer] pushed him off the road quite abruptly and a police car arrived behind the barriers to take him away less than five minutes later,” said the eyewitness, with friends of the offender equally as confused.

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"The gesture did not seem premeditated. After the riders had passed, his friends were surprised. They were clearly not at their first Tour but it was the first time he had done something stupid like that."

Adam Hansen, president of the Cyclistes Professionnels Associés (CPA), the rider's union, announced on X (formerly twitter), that “the CPA will take legal action against this guy with pleasure due to what he did to both Pogacar and Vingegaard. This is disrespectful and will not be tolerated.”

Hansen later thanked French police for their quick response having seen that the spectator had been arrested. 

"We have information that the Gendarmerie have already found and arrested the man who did this act and spent the last night in jail," said Hansen on social media. "We thank the Gendarmerie for their fast great work, and this is a sign not to do this to the cyclist. Please be responsible and respect the riders."

We have information that the Gendarmerie have already found and arrested the man who did this act and spent the last night in jail. We thank the Gendarmerie for their fast great work, and this is a sign not to do this to the cyclist. Please be responsible and respect the riders. https://t.co/n9zqBwgbWs July 14, 2024

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James Moultrie is a gold-standard NCTJ journalist who joined Cyclingnews as a News Writer in 2023 after originally contributing as a freelancer for eight months, during which time he also wrote for Eurosport, Rouleur and Cycling Weekly. Prior to joining the team he reported on races such as Paris-Roubaix and the Giro d’Italia Donne for Eurosport and has interviewed some of the sport’s top riders in Chloé Dygert, Lizzie Deignan and Wout van Aert. Outside of cycling, he spends the majority of his time watching other sports – rugby, football, cricket, and American Football to name a few.

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Paris : en 24 heures, les forces de l’ordre « évincent » 495 vendeurs à la sauvette et joueurs de bonneteau près de la tour Eiffel

Une opération d’envergure. Les forces de l’ordre ont organisé, ce week-end, une action de lutte contre la délinquance et « l’occupation indue de l’espace public » dans les VIIe et XVIe arrondissements de Paris. En somme, autour de la tour Eiffel et de l’esplanade du Trocadéro.

Dans un message posté sur les réseaux sociaux, la préfecture de police de Paris (PP) annonce qu’« en 24 heures, 495 personnes ont été évincées dont 54 contrôlées et 14 interpellées ». Parmi eux, trois personnes seraient des vendeurs à la sauvette et une autre organisatrice de jeu d’argent, autrement dit la fameuse arnaque du jeu de bonneteau .

La PP, aussi annonce avoir délivré quatre amendes forfaitaires délictuelles, 18 verbalisations et saisi 28 kg de marchandises. Cette opération intervient dans le cadre d’un plan de « sécurisation renforcée ». Dans la semaine déjà, les forces de l’ordre avaient mené une autre grande opération dans le quartier Max-Dormoy (XVIIIe) « pour agir contre tous les phénomènes de délinquance ».

Des maires d’opposition redoutent de nouveaux trafics

Mais surtout, cette mobilisation importante des forces de l’ordre intervient quelques jours après la piétonnisation, par arrêté municipal, du pont d’Iéna reliant les deux arrondissements. Déjà fermé à la circulation cet été, cet axe entre le Trocadéro et la tour Eiffel avait été sous forte présence policière pendant la période olympique.

Après la cérémonie de clôture des Jeux paralympiques, le 8 septembre, les vendeurs à la sauvette avaient profité de la moindre présence policière pour faire leur retour aux abords de ces deux sites touristiques.

Dans un courrier adressé ce jeudi au préfet de police Laurent Nuñez, les deux élus de l’opposition municipale et maires de ces arrondissements, Rachida Dati et Jérémy Redler, demandaient au préfet de s’opposer à ce projet de piétonnisation. Dans le cas contraire, ils sommaient le préfet d’adapter les « actions de sécurisation du Champ-de-Mars et du Trocadéro afin qu’elles intègrent la surveillance » de la nouvelle zone piétonne du pont d’Iéna.

Selon eux, les délinquants , notamment les vendeurs à la sauvette, investissent « toute nouvelle zone piétonne » pour y développer « de nouveaux trafics », et donc le pont d’Iéna.