The Tour de France stage 15 took a turn for the worse when a spectator attempting to take a selfie caused a massive crash involving approximately 20 riders. Despite the unfortunate incident, Dutch cyclist Wout Poels claimed victory on the stage, while defending champion Jonas Vingegaard maintained his 10-second lead over Tadej Pogacar.
The crash occurred when a fan extended their phone towards the riders, inadvertently knocking the handlebars of Sepp Kuss, a teammate of Vingegaard from Team Jumbo-Visma. Kuss lost control of his bike and went down along with teammate Nathan van Hooydonck, subsequently bringing down a significant portion of the peloton. Surprisingly, all the riders involved in the crash managed to complete the 179km stage from Les Gets les Portes du Soleil to Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc.
Reflecting on the incident, Kuss stated, "There was a narrowing in the town and a spectator in the road, and I guess he just clipped my handlebars. Luckily I'm OK, and hopefully, the other guys in the crash are all right. It's not ideal." Kuss attributed the mishap to fatigue, acknowledging the demanding nature of the race and the resultant decrease in alertness among riders, coupled with unforeseeable circumstances.
Following the crash, the Tour de France's official Twitter account released a slow-motion video showing a rider narrowly evading a spectator's outstretched arm, accompanied by a message urging everyone to pay attention to the safety of the riders. Teams such as Jumbo-Visma, Confidis, and Ineos Grenadiers also stressed the importance of caution and providing sufficient space for cyclists.
This incident involving a spectator ranks among the worst in the history of the Tour de France. A similar episode occurred in 2021 when a spectator holding a sign caused a massive pile-up during the first stage. Multiple riders were injured, leading to withdrawals from the race. In response, Tour director Christian Prudhomme emphasized the need for spectators to prioritize the riders' safety over seeking personal attention.
While such incidents raise concerns, they also underscore the necessity of implementing additional measures to ensure the safety of the riders. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) introduced the SafeR initiative just before this year's Tour, which aims to enhance safety assessments during high-speed descents and improve crowd management. However, the nature of road cycling, which involves close interactions between fans and riders, presents ongoing challenges that require continued vigilance.
In terms of the race itself, Wout Poels celebrated his first-ever stage victory in a Grand Tour. Representing Team Bahrain Victorious, Poels crossed the finish line a remarkable two minutes and eight seconds ahead of Wout van Aert, with Mathieu Burgaudeau securing the third spot. Vingegaard, accompanied by Pogacar, finished the stage six minutes and four seconds behind Poels, successfully maintaining his overall lead.
After a rest day on Monday, the Tour de France will resume with a 22.4km time trial from Passy to Combloux on Tuesday.
Pakistan will host mega event next year from February 19 to March 9
Both teams will engage in intense training sessions today and Wednesday at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
Sohaib's brother, Daniyal Sanaullah manages to secure fourth position in tournament participated by 174 players
Proteas score 126 runs in reply of 159-run target set by the Kiwis in the final of event
Will Young, Rachin Ravindra remain calm to guide visitors to memorable win after early blows in second innings
"It's great to see him still fighting even though he's had injuries and struggles," says Djokovic