TERRIFIC TO SEE SPECTATORS BACK INVOLVED IN SPORTS EH pic.twitter.com/Kwxj8be2Qh— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) June 26, 2021
Calling all HuffPost superfans!
Register for subscription to become a founding member and help shape HuffPosts next chapter
The 108th Tour de France cycling race got off to a chaotic start on Saturday when a viewers sign hit a racer, triggering an enormous pileup.
Replay video shows the fan smiling and facing the same direction as the racers, with a large cardboard indication standing out into the narrow back road. Tony Martin, a 36-year-old German cyclist, was apparently the very first to go down, followed by a neighboring racer who fell on top of him.
The viewers indication checked out “Allez Opi-Omi!” in black marker– a message for the holders grandparents.
Huge crash. Trip de France pic.twitter.com/2UI6XuY1Uc— daniel (@cyclingreporter) June 26, 2021
It was not right away clear whether anyone had been seriously hurt in the wreckage of bikes and bodies, but at least a single persons bike appeared to have snapped.
Some of the racers– including Martin, who appeared to have a bloodied arm– selected themselves up and continued on, with 29-year-old French cyclist Julian Alaphilippe crossing the finish line first. Others waited behind for brand-new bikes to be provided from their groups.
But it was not smooth sailing after that: A second huge crash that occurred at a greater rate of speed tripped up a lot of the cyclists who missed either had or conquer the very first one. One rider who was flung off his bike directly missed out on hitting an utility pole along the roadway.
2 views of the #TourdeFrance crash (2nd big one of the day). One rider came really near to literally flying head/back first into an utility pole. pic.twitter.com/2i6pMZBo8m— Cork Gaines (@CorkGaines) June 26, 2021
look at this outright problem that resulted pic.twitter.com/3Nf2QFMqHu— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) June 26, 2021
The 2,124-mile race began today from Brest, a city at the westernmost suggestion of France. Racers were less than 30 miles from the days finish point when the first crash happened.
The trips official Twitter account tweeted out a pointer to fans together with a montage of viewers getting up close and personal with riders in previous races.
” Were pleased to have the general public on the side of the roadway … but for the Tour to be a success, respect the security of the riders! Do not risk everything for an image or to get on television!”
& #x 26a0; Were happy to have the public on the side of the roadway on the #TDF 2021 For the Tour to be a success, respect the security of the riders!Don t threat everything for a picture or to get on tv! pic.twitter.com/eA6nnhRhWv— Tour de France & #x 2122; (@LeTour) June 26, 2021.
2 views of the #TourdeFrance crash (2nd big one of the day). One rider came truly close to actually flying head/back first into a telephone pole. For the Tour to be a success, respect the security of the riders!Don t risk everything for a picture or to get on tv!
