On the roads of the Tour, the public masses are always more numerous, in particular on the mountain stages. Younger, less disciplined, the spectators even sometimes cause pileups and falls. Incidents which have multiplied since the start of the competition, and which the riders fear, before a new mountain stage on the four passes of the 17th stage.
Published on: 07/18/2023 – 16:38
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The 17th stage of the Tour de France, between Saint-Gervais and Courchevel, Wednesday July 19, has four major passes on its route, in particular, just before the finish, the legendary Col de la Lauze. Places very popular with spectators, massed in number on the edge of the narrow roads, to the point of making it difficult for runners and racing vehicles to pass.
Very complicated today in the last pass. We quickly understand why the image motorbike could not gain momentum and hampered Pogacar’s attack. pic.twitter.com/1c6dajxcmt
— François Pervis (@FrancoisPervis) July 15, 2023
And on the flat parts, the public is not necessarily attentive either, which has already caused several falls, some of which are quite serious.
An advanced spectator on the road sent Belgian Stef Cras ashore and then home on Stage 8. The next day, a homemade banner, which fell as the riders passed, snagged the handlebars of Frenchman Lilian Calmejane, causing him to fall.
Belgian cyclist from TotalEnergies Steff Cras after his fall during the 8th stage of the Tour de France, between Libourne and Limoges, July 8, 2023 © Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP
“Let’s say that 99% of people are careful, describes Benoît Cosnefroy. But there are always those who are too alcoholic or unaware of the speed at which we are arriving and they do not have the right gestures. The public of the Tour n is not always a bike connoisseur.”
Last episode to date, the arm of a person trying a selfie with his back to the peloton unbalanced Sepp Kuss, the yellow jersey lieutenant Jonas Vingegaard, sent to the mat. “It makes no sense to me. You see people looking through their phones rather than experiencing what’s going on,” the American lamented on the day off criticizing “the age of Instagram , TikTok and company”. His team, Jumbo-Visma, plans to file a complaint, according to one of its representatives.
A younger audience… and excited
What is the atmosphere like on the mythical Col du Tourmalet during the Tour de France? Caterpillar, flute concert, barbecue… Brut spent the day with Liam and his friends. pic.twitter.com/2WFz1EXlpC
— Brut FR (@brutofficiel) July 7, 2023
Long seen as old-fashioned, cycling is attracting a new audience. For example, 21% of 18-24 year olds followed all the stages of the last Big Loop and up to 27% of 25-34 year olds, according to a study conducted by Cofidis and Dentsu Data Labs among 1,000 people in last August. To this was added the Netflix documentary series, intended to conquer a new audience.
Read also”Talking to purists and tourists”: F1, Tour de France… Everyone wants their Netflix series
“I don’t know if there is a runaway with Netflix but we feel that there is really a greater fervor”, testifies Thibaut Pinot, who notices rejuvenated faces. “We find more people in their 20s or 30s. And we only have youth as they say, I think they live it well by the side of the road. Me, that makes me laugh.”
Another factor can explain certain behaviors: the crowds of the passes do not only drink mineral water. “There are drunk people, describes the Belgian of AG2R-Citroën Oliver Naesen. It’s great to party but there are those who abuse it.”
These clouds of heated spectators, from the morning, in an atmosphere of a giant fair, can be turbulent. “You have to spend the enthusiasm you have gathered, you can’t bring it home after getting up so early”, as Dino Buzzati wrote while covering the 1949 Giro.
“The Tour is good, but the aperitif afterwards is better”… the culture of alcohol very present on the Tour de France © Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP
The cans tear off
“Coming down from the Bettex on Sunday [à Saint Gervais] after the stage to return to the bus, Biniam Girmay fell in front of me because people snatched the can from his hands, says Benoît Cosnefroy. It made a sun.”
Earlier in the week, Belgian Yves Lampaert recounted a similar scene, this time without a crash.
“The cans, I don’t know what they’re doing with them, breathes Oliver Naesen. Seeing adults crying out for them, frankly, I can’t take it anymore. It’s exhausting. When you’re drinking , you have 30 people screaming ‘can, can, can’. It’s like we’re part of the caravan.”
Still, the 2023 edition did not invent overflows. In 2021, a spectator with an “Opi-Omi” sign caused a massive fall. She was finally fined 1,200 euros for “endangering others” and “unintentional injury”. And during the 2015 Tour, Chris Froome and his teammate Richie Porte complained about the behavior of the spectators.
With AFP
