PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 23: A general view as the riders make their way up the Champs Elysees during stage twenty one of Le Tour de France 2017 on July 23, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)It’s been a rough start to the 2021 Tour de France. Last Saturday, a fan caused a multiple-cyclist crash. On Tuesday, the competitors held a protest calling for better protection from such instances.
Cyclists are fed up with how little protection the Tour de France committee has provided. It only got worse on Saturday when a woman holding a sign stood too close to the road. Cyclists would like the event’s organizers to take more precaution in protecting cyclists from fans.
During Tuesday’s racing, riders stopped cycling during the first moments of the race. They then proceeded to ride on in slow fashion. The demonstration was done in hopes to get others to notice their frustration.
“Following the crashes during Stage 3 of the TdF, CPA has been discussing with the riders about how they wish to proceed to show their dissatisfaction with safety measures and demand their concerns are taken seriously,” reads a statement put out by the Cyclistes Professionnels Associes, via Fox News. “Their frustration about foreseeable and preventable action is enormous. They wish to stress their respect for their sponsors, their sports groups, the organizer, their international institutions.
Tour de France riders protest to demand increased safety measures amid spate of crashes https://t.co/SDxe0tRRtV via @foxnews
— Chris 🇺🇸 (@Chris_1791) June 29, 2021
This is probably long overdue. The Tour de France has to better ensure the safety of cyclists.
Fans are allowed to get too close to cyclists at the moment. Take Saturday’s crash as example.
Until the Tour de France implements better safety precautions, riders will continues to vent frustrations.
