2021 Tour de France Debacle!

I'm surprised no one has brought this up. An absolute dumbazz spectator caused nearly the ENTIRE peleton to crash. It's horrific.
Now the TdF committee is moving towards litigation. Mostly to set a presidence about dumbazz spectators interfering with the race.

I know the spector (a female) was excited about being there although every visible indication reflects she was more focused on media attention than the race as she had no clue as she got cold-cocked by I think Martin.

Regardless, I would hate to be that person forever known as that person who caused the crash of 2021 in the Tour de France!

 

After reading about the potential litigation I thought this may have been too far, but when it was revealed she was holding the sign for the cameras/media attention it could be warranted.

A lot of carnage and destroyed carbon wheels in that little stunt.

If it were me, and one of my youngsters inadvertently started a crash I obviously wouldn’t want the litigation against me.

I do feel bad I’m sure this is very embarrassing for the person involved.

 

I was under the impression that anything road bike related wasn't really welcome here.

 

Does anyone happen to know what her sign read?

 

How many times has it been preached that we need to give some space between riders?! This is what happens when you don’t!

 

That’s ridiculous! Who would suggest that!
Careful, I can edit your posts…

Incidentally I read the sign was a blend of French and German translated as “come on grandpa-grandma”.

AND… she has fled the scene. I mean they have her on vid, like she will get far.

Edit: In all honesty that has got to be incredibly overwhelming for a single person to have been the instigator of such. One rider is out of the race and several are injured. Geez! To cause THAT!

 

If I remember correctly, she was saying hi to her grandparents.

 

"Douche in training." Clear as could be.

 

Unpopular opinion: I'm surprised these professionals are not better prepared to plow through a spectator and keep going.

 

I kind of agree with that. Isn't the spectator/athlete interaction one of the reasons these races are soo popular in Europe? Anyway, now I've got to go down a rabbit hole and find these articles instead of working.

 

You mean like this: https://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/in-other-news.8044/page-91#post-259136

Sheesh, some people need to pay closer attention on random websites on the internets!

 

I'd be willing to bet the first rider to hit the sign was ready to do exactly that, but the off-center resistance against the right hand/handlebar was sufficient to overcome such readiness. Inertia and gravity prevail.

 

Allez Opi Omi...

 

She's moved past apprentice level, I'd say journeyman at least.

 

At least there are plenty of bicycle parts available to repair damage to the equipment.

 

That's the weird part... The sign is in two languages. The "Allez" (like the Special Ed bike of the same name...) is French for "Go!". The "Opi" and "Omi" are German slang for Grandpa and Grandma. So... Go Grandpa and Grandma!

Or... Maybe she meant to fold the sign. One side for the riders, and the other for grandma and grandpa back home? Who knows... Asshattery won the day!

 

My wife who knows absolutely nothing about cycling but when the TdF is on and she sees people running along the riders and other things that no one else would get away in any other sport, asks why isn’t there barriers to protect the riders safety? This is the perfect example of that question she has asked for years.

I say the motorcade should be have a V formation on narrow roads to clear out the riff raff. So people are aren’t able to do things like this. My wife also says what if someone just stabs someone? It could happen.

That lady is long gone and back at home in hiding somewhere. But how the hell did she not notice she was too far out in the road and bailed like a coward that she is. I am surprised no one detained her immediately.

 

There are videos on-line of support guys running to the carnage with complete replacement bikes. I'd be happy to get brake pads.

 

I find this a very interesting question...
I mean, it's cycling not roller derby. I can imagine learning defense tactics related to stray dogs and maybe dear. But how do you keep an elite cyclist safe in a peloton pack from an obvious idiot? He had no where to go at 20 mph, he should body check her?
Even if you made it idiot proof... along would come a new idiot.
I don't think a road cyclist should have to deal with spectators in this sense. Meet and greet in the pits, but let the guy race in safety. The sport is already crazy dangerous. They are there to race a bicycle not play rugby. Just a thought.

 

Okay okay! I missed it! Sheesh!

 

I did notice the chain of events. But I was taken aback how flimsy the sign was, which left the impact at, basically, a shoulder check to the sign holder’s arm. I think the rider overreacted when he saw the sign and tried to turn way more than necessary to avoid it and her, and the impact with the arm did the rest.

Think of how many times a branch, tree, rock wall or other obstruction clocked you or your bike unexpectedly – and you didn’t fall down. Most of these you never knew were coming. I’m sure a MTB is a bit more forgiving than those featherweight race bikes, but that notwithstanding (and continuing my undoubtably unpopular opinion), they are pros paid to win, and I think they should be better prepared for the obvious hazard that spectators represent. Body check and continue? Absolutely. It’s business, not recreation.

 

Hey Brothah, If you watch it in Slow-Mo he hit her arm holding the sign and her arm was pointing towards him at like a 45 degree angle. Watch how she gets spun around on impact. She may have almost gone down. So he hit a person and the sign happen to be in her hands...

Edit: Heck she may have headed to the hospital with a broken elbow or wrist for that matter. She got smacked!

 

It’s a bad situation all around and we will never know what actually happened until Martin starts talking which he may have and I didn’t see them. I hope they are tightening down on security for the rest of the tour.

Edit; found an article in which Tony speaks about the wreck.

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tony-martin-the-tour-de-france-is-not-a-circus/

 

Video can be set to slow mo

 

Watching it in slow motion, you can see that her left arm was stretched the length of the sign- holding it taught at the bottom. It was the contact with the arm that caused the damage, not the contact with the flimsy sign.

I'd guess she's pretty bruised after getting hit at 25 mph.

Screen grab from the moment after contact. It looks like he hit her upper arm or shoulder area, which caused the violent spin. In slow motion, the sign looks pretty flimsy.

 

Pretty much an accidental clothesline maneuver...
Got the idea from @Old&InTheWay so I went back to my original vid post and played it in max slow mo. Being the dumbazzz I am I was too busy cracking up because the commentators sound like they are absolutely sloshed in slow-mo.


Edit: Hah! @Faust29 ! Stop reading my mind!!!

 

I tried, but this was all I saw...

 

More than that, I'm surprised that spectators are allowed to be within contact distance of the riders. That there is the real problem.

 

I bet if Peter Sagan had been the first to make contact, there wouldnt have been much else to the situation.

 

Sign girl at TdF is still better than chainsaw guy at MTB races.