We’ve seen way too many times this year where people who are not on bikes, get in the way of people who are.
There was the spectator who was watching the Cicloturista Conda Salmor Bike event, who for some reason dediced to cross the finish line as she looked at her cell phone. And it didn’t go well: a rider who was pushing to the finish line crashed into her at full speed. Ouch!
Then of course, there was Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl’s Yves Lampaert crashed hard on one of the last sections of cobbles at Paris-Roubaix. The Belgian rider was in a two-man chase group trying to catch ultimate winner Dylan van Baarle (Ineos Grenadiers). He was riding on the far right of the road, close to spectators to avoid the rough stuff, when he suddenly lost control and crashed hard. Double ouch!
Does this video prove that Lampaert’s crash was Opi Omi 2.0, or was it his own fault?
Who can forget the big drama in 2021 with the “Allez Opi-Omi” woman at the Tour de France. The French spectator held the sign in front of the peloton facing the cameras in front of her and didn’t realize Martin was directly behind the sign. And sure enough half entire peloton went down in the chaotic pileup at the top of Saint-Rivoal with 45km to go.
Today at the finish of the first stage of the Tour of Portugal, a 193.7km race from Vila Franca de Xira to Elvas, a spectator came pretty close to getting absolutely clobbered by the charging field. Scott McGill (Wildlife Generation Pro Cycling) would take the win, but the fan should be considering his day to be a little victory as well. Another second and he’d be hit harder than the defensive line at a Cleveland Browns game.
— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) August 5, 2022
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