Tour de France 2021 – Police arrest fan who caused huge crash with cardboard sign on Stage 1

ByBen Snowball

Updated 30/06/2021 at 14:12 GMT

"The woman has been formally identified. She has been in police custody for a few minutes, the hearing has barely begun," a source told AFP. She is reportedly facing a fine of 1,500 euros. You can watch the Tour de France live and ad-free on the Eurosport app and Eurosport.co.uk. Download the Eurosport app for iOS and Android now.

The supporter who caused a shocking mass crash at the Tour de France on Saturday has been arrested, according to multiple reports.

Nearly all of the peloton was wiped out on Stage 1 when Tony Martin (Jumbo-Visma) collided with the fan’s cardboard sign, sparking a horrifying domino effect amongst the riders.

Race organisers threatened legal action in the wake of the shocking incident while French police asked for witnesses to come forward.

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According to reports, the fan is now in custody and stands accused of involuntarily causing injury and faces a fine of 1,500 euros.

TV replays showed the fan grinning into the camera and holding a sign which read "ALLEZ OPI-OMI!" – which roughly translates as "COME ON GRANDDAD-GRANNY" – unaware that it was about to send a shockwave through the peloton.

"The woman has been formally identified. She has been in police custody for a few minutes, the hearing has barely begun," a source told AFP.

The Tour's deputy director Pierre-Yves Thouault said after the incident: "We are suing this woman who behaved so badly.

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

‘I have no sympathy’ – Wiggins on fan who caused huge Stage 1 crash

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