Fan's selfie caused a massive crash at Tour de France
During Stage 15 of Tour de France 2023, on Sunday, a fan attempting to take a selfie caused a catastrophic crash involving approximately 20 riders. The incident occurred when the spectator, holding a phone and trying to take a selfie, accidentally knocked into the handlebars of Team Jumbo-Visma rider Sepp Kuss. The crash unfolded with about 125 km remaining in the race.
How the accident unfolded
After hitting the unexpected spectator, Sepp Kuss lost his balance and crashed into his teammate Nathan van Hooydonck. This led to a massive pile-up of riders behind them. Fortunately, all the riders who crashed completed the 179km stage from Les Gets les Portes du Soleil to Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc. "Luckily I'm OK and hopefully the other guys in the crash are all right," said Kuss.
Take a look at the crash video
Fans urged to be cautious after the accident
Shortly after the crash, the Tour de France's official Twitter account posted a slow-motion video of a rider avoiding a spectator's outstretched arm with the caption, "Please pay attention to the riders." Cycling teams, Ineos Grenadiers, Team Confidis, and Jumbo-Visma also took to Twitter, urging the audience to be on the sidelines and to give the riders ample space to race safely.
A similar crash occurred back in 2021
The Tour de France witnessed one of its worst crashes involving a spectator back in 2021. A woman holding a sign with a message in German to her grandparents accidentally clipped rider Tony Martin. This incident resulted in two riders withdrawing from the race, and eight others required medical treatment for injuries, including Spain's Marc Soler, who suffered fractures in both arms.
Finally, what were the results of the race?
During the action-packed stage, Dutch cyclist Wout Poels claimed victory, showcasing his skills on the course. The defending champion Jonas Vingegaard managed to maintain his 10-second lead over Tadej Pogacar, creating an intense battle at the Tour de France. Luckily, Vingegaard remained unharmed during the major crash, and Poels was already far ahead with a group of riders when the catastrophic accident happened.
