A fan with a sign, facing the wrong way on the road at the Tour de France, has caused a massive crash, derailing almost the entire Peloton. Source / Sky Sport
The fan that triggered the biggest crash ever seen in the Tour de France has learned she will face court this week facing possible jail time.
The fugitive cycling fan who caused the pile up during the first stage of the 2021 Tour by holding a hand-written sign was arrested by police in July — five days after the carnage.
The unidentified 31-year-old woman, caught on TV cameras holding her cardboard sign in a yellow rain coat, left dozens of riders nursing bruises and more serious injuries having caused "the worst crash ever seen" at the Tour de France.
According to French reports, the woman faces a fine of $23,000 (15,000 euros) and possible jail time when she faces a criminal court in Brest on Friday (AEDT) over charges of "endangering others" and "unintentional injury".
Ouest-France reported the charges include a possible one-year jail sentence.
The hits keep coming for the spectator, with the professional cyclists union also taking legal action against her to pursue compensation for the injured riders.
Four riders were unable to continue in the second stage of the event as a result of injuries they sustained in the crash. 26 riders in total were listed as injured in the Tour's official record.
Bryan Coquard of France after the crash. Photo / Getty
The CPA released a statement to announce it is seeking symbolic compensation of $1.50 (one euro).
"The damage suffered by the riders is physical, moral and economic," CPA president Gianni Bugno said.
"An athlete prepares months for a grand tour and it is not acceptable that all his hard work, that of his family, his staff and his team should be shattered in an instant by the quest for popularity of those who should attend the event without becoming the protagonist.
"We are sure that the spectator did not intentionally want to harm anyone, but with her carelessness she compromised the health and the season of more than one of our members.
"The one euro compensation we have asked for does not pay for the fracture of both arms of Marc Soler nor for the consequences suffered by Tony Martin and the other riders who ended up on the ground, but it has a symbolic value."
The accident on the first stage of the race occurred between Brest and Landerneau in northwestern Brittanny when the woman, facing away from the riders and towards the cameras, held up the sign which read "Allez Opi-Omi", which translates as "Go, grandpa and granny".
Positioned on the edge of a group of tightly packed riders, German cyclist Tony Martin hit the sign and fell, bringing down dozens of others who were following behind him.
The pile-up delayed the stage for five minutes while bikes and bodies were untangled.
Amid the chaos, the woman was seen reeling away in horror before disappearing into the deep roadside crowd, her sign folded away beneath her arm.
