Police arrest woman after spectator caused major Tour de France crash with sign
30 June 2021, 16:59
A woman has been arrested by police after a spectator caused a major crash during the first stage of the Tour de France.
A spectator, who had been cheering on from the side of the road, held out a sign which German cyclist Tony Martin collided with, taking down almost all of the peloton.
The Gendarmerie du Finistère released a statement on Facebook following the incident, announcing that they had opened an investigation.
However, the woman responsible had left the scene before investigators could find her.
A woman has now been identified and has been taken into custody in Landerneau, it is understood.
The fan is accused of involuntarily causing injury and could be fined €15,000 (£12,800) if found guilty.
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Organisers of the popular cycling event have confirmed that they will be taking action against the woman responsible.
Following the incident, they asked fans to respect riders and not "risk everything for a photo or to get on television".
Tony Martin also pleaded with fans to be careful on Instagram, saying: "Please respect the riders and the #tourdefrance! Use your head or stay home! We don't want you here. You risk our life and our dreams for that we work so hard!"
