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Tour de France Experience “Worst Crash Ever Seen” After Spectator Bumps Into Cyclist (PHOTOS)
Two massive crashes have severely disrupted the opening stage of the Tour de France.
Riders were travelling between Brest and Landerneau when the two pile-ups occurred.
The first incident happened after Jumbo-Visma rider Tony Martin hit a supporters’ sign.
The supporter was holding the sign out above the road and didn’t seem to be looking at the cyclists.
Martin couldn’t avoid the outstretched sign and looked visibly concerned as he realised what was about to happen.
He careered straight into the cardboard message before coming off his bike and tumbling to the ground.
The 36-year-old fell right into the path of an oncoming rider, who almost ran over his head.
Martin’s fall produced a domino effect which rippled through the tightly-bunched peloton, causing dozens more riders to hit the deck.
An aerial shot appeared to show upwards of 20 riders and their bikes sprawled across the asphalt.
Tour favourites Arnaud Demare, Julian Alaphilippe and Marc Hirschi and Sonny Colbrelli were all involved in the crash but managed to race on.
Although some competitors remounted their bikes, at least one rider decided to abandon the race entirely.
Team DSM star Jasha Sütterlin was one of those who chose to retire from the event.
The second crash happened when the riders were just under 6km from the finish and saw some challengers end up in nearby hedges beside the road.
One cyclist hit the deck in the middle of the pack which once again caused a horrific knock-on effect for the rest of the peloton.
Dozens of riders were slung to the tarmac and onto the grass verge beside the road in a huge tangle of metal.
Britain’s Chris Froome and Germany’s Andre Greipel were among those who were caught up in the second crash.
Alaphilippe, who was caught up in the first incident, recovered to win the stage and claim the Yellow Jersey ahead of Sunday’s route between Perros-Guirec and Mur-de-Bretagne.
