Tour de France 2021: Fan arrested after causing massive Stage 1 crash

By | June 30, 2021

The 2021 Tour de France got off to a rough start when a spectator caused a massive crash early in Stage 1 of the event.

Now, that suspect has been arrested.

According to France 24, a source close to the investigation told AFP that the women had been “formally identified and taken into custody a few minutes ago.”

MORE: The 13 worst crashes in Tour de France history

The suspect was arrested in Brittany, the region where the Tour de France held its first four stages, per BFM Television. She is facing a €1,500 fine (roughly $1,778) for her actions and a lawsuit from the Tour de France as well.

“We are suing this woman who behaved so badly,” the Tour de France’s deputy director, Pierre-Yves Thouault, told AFP. “We are doing this so that the tiny minority of people who do this — don’t spoil the show for everyone.”

The crash was caused when the woman holding a sign that read “allez opi-omi” — which roughly translates to “go grandpa, grandma” — got in the way of cyclist Tony Martin. As a result, Martin lost his balance, fell and started the pile-up below, which caused Jasha Sutterlin to withdraw from the race.

Eight cyclists required treatment from the official doctor while countless others were left scraped and bruised. Sutterlin was the only cyclist forced to withdraw from the race.

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