How many accidents will it take ...
After putting the debacle of the past couple of days behind me I have once again become enthralled with the greatest race on earth. The Tour de France is bigger than some silly drug scandal, and it will survive and continue to be the greatest spectacle on this planet.
One thing that I simply cannot understand about the Tour though are the fans. Yes they are passionate, and yes they want to be as close to the action as they can be ... but simply put they are a menace! A danger to the cyclists that are putting everything on the line for victory!
How many times have we seen fans getting in the way?
About 10 years ago one of the worst crashes I have witnessed was a result of a fan trying to take a photo of the bunch approcahing at 70+ km/h. Misjudging the distance and rate of approach the spectator got in the way and single handedly caused a crash that removed 5 top sprinters from the event; arguably also ending the career of one of the greatest sprinters of all times.
Two years ago a spectator got in the way of Lance Armstrong. Armstrong's handle bars hooked on a bag a spectator was waving in the road as they came past. Lance went down. Luckily he got back up and seemed unhurt by the incident.
And now today, Thor sprinting up the final 300m in the yellow jersey get's his arm slashed open by a stupid idiot waving a flag in the road.
All too often hundreds of fans crowd on to the road, run alongside riders, spray them with water, etc. etc. As a rider myself I know how distracting this can be, and certainly very very dangerous!
Come on guys!
ASO, instead of going on a massive witch hunt like you are, how about doing something to protect the riders of your fine race!?!?! Ban the crowds from going near the road. Put up barriers keeping them off the road. etc.
Enuff said .... back to the racing ...
Go Valverde go!