(Scypre.com) – In the 15th stage of the Tour de France, Jonas Vingegaard maintained his hold on the yellow jersey while Wout Poels secured a victory. However, the stage was not without its share of drama.
Approximately 52 kilometers into the race, a spectator who was reportedly holding a cellphone inadvertently made contact with American rider Sepp Kuss while standing on the side of the road. This unexpected incident led to Kuss and several other riders falling.
Reflecting on the incident, Kuss remarked, “There was a spectator leaning into the road, I guess. It just happened suddenly, and that’s part of the Tour, there are a lot of people. Ideally that wouldn’t happen, but it’s the biggest bike race in the world and a lot of people don’t know exactly what’s going on.”
Kuss further explained, “There was a narrowing in a town. We were just trying to slow down the peloton (pack) to let the break go, and then just on the side, unfortunately, somebody wanted to get a selfie. I didn’t really see it coming.”
Amidst the incident, Vingegaard urged spectators to exercise caution and be mindful of the riders passing by. “I’d like to tell the spectators to enjoy the race and be there to cheer for us without standing on the road or pouring beers on us,” expressed the overall leader. “Please, just enjoy the race.”
The Cofidis team also emphasized the importance of being careful, stating, “Please be careful. So that the party remains a party for the riders, but also for you. You don’t need a cell phone to create mind-blowing memories.”
The organizers of the Tour de France joined in urging fans to “pay attention to the riders” in light of the incident.