Watch: Fan taking selfie triggers mass crash on Tour de France
Three of defending champion Jonas Vingegaard’s team-mates crashed after a spectator trying to take a selfie triggered a mass pile-up on the 15th stage of the Tour de France on Sunday.
Nathan van Hooydonck hit the deck hard some 129km from the finish line with Sepp Kuss, Vingegaard’s key lieutenant in the mountain, and Dylan van Baarle, also crashing after the former was put off balance by a spectator.
Video footage appeared to show a fan sticking their arm out and holding a mobile phone before contact with the American rider.
All three got back on their bikes, although Van Hooydonck spent a couple of minutes lying on the ground before re-starting. The 2019 Tour champion Egan Bernal was also caught up in the accident, although unlike Saturday’s brutal crash all of those involved were able to remount and continue.
The accident caused several teams to urge fans to show more caution across the remainder of the Tour, given it was not the first time that a spectator had created a serious crash. In 2021, a female fan holding up a sign for her grandparents caused a stage to be halted after colliding with German rider Tony Martin, for which she was later fined more than £1,000.
Team Jumbo-Visma said: “Please be always aware when watching cycling at the side of the road.”
Ineos Grenadiers added: “If you are spectating at this amazing event, please give the riders room to race.”
Team Confidis said: “Please be careful. So that the party remains a party for the runners but also for you. You don’t need a cell phone to create mind-blowing memories.”
For goodness sake 🤬
A fan holding their phone out causes a mass pile-up 📱#TDF2023 #ITVCycling pic.twitter.com/xsQEf6XtTe— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 16, 2023
Team Jayco AlUla added: “It looks like the crash was caused by a fan. Please respect the riders and give them space!”
The incident also prompted a reminder from the official Tour account on Twitter, which told fans to “please pay attention to the riders.”
A dramatic stage also witnessed a bizarre incident when ProTeam Israel–Premier Tech’s Krists Neilands fell and struck a wall after losing control when trying to take a water bottle from a neutral service motorbike rider.
La chute de Krists Neilands. #TDF2023pic.twitter.com/Jkq5bTSJST
— Le Gruppetto (@LeGruppetto) July 16, 2023
The setback for Jumbo-Visma at least did not prevent Vingegaard from going toe-to-toe with arch rival Tadej Pogacar, with the pair crossing the line together for the second stage in succession after an almighty battle up the Saint-Gervais at the foot of Mont Blanc.
Wout Poels took his first career grand tour stage win after crossing the line the last survivor of a big breakaway group, which had gone clear of the main peloton just before the crash occurred 50km into the stage.
Poels came to the foot of the final climb up with Wout van Aert but immediately attacked as the road ramped up and gradually eased clear to take the win by more than two minutes.
Some six minutes after Poels crossed the line, Vingegaard and Pogacar came home shoulder to shoulder after a tussle on the side of the mountain that failed to find a difference between them, Vingegaard’s advantage in yellow remaining at 10 seconds going into Monday’s rest day.
Pogacar, having let the wheel of team-mate Adam Yates go earlier on the climb, put in a dig just after the flamme rouge but Vingegaard responded immediately to ensure he will start Tuesday’s time trial still in yellow.
Carlos Rodriguez, who had paced back to the leading duo as they eyed each other on the road, was just behind to strengthen his hold on third place overall, with Yates up to fourth after Jai Hindley again faded.
