tour de france rider punches spectator 2023

Spectator causes major Tour de France crash on stage 15

The Tour de France has suffered its second major crash in as many days, this time caused by a rider coming into contact with a spectator.

Aerial footage from the host broadcaster showed American rider Sepp Kuss — riding for Jumbo-Visma — hitting the arm of a spectator with roughly 129km left on stage 15 of the race.

After hitting the spectator, Kuss then hit his teammate Nathan Van Hooydonck, who bore the brunt of the crash as he crumpled to the road resulting in a pile-up behind him.

Van Hooydonck was able to get back onto his bike and continue, with blood visible on his body.

Several riders were caught up in the crash, including Colombian Egan Bernal who won the race in 2019.

There were no abandonments as a result of the crash, despite several riders showing signs of injury.

In a statement on social media, Jumbo-Visma urged spectators to be mindful when the riders pass by. 

"Please be always aware when watching cycling at the side of the road," they said. 

While the crash was a major moment for the Jumbo-Visma team, their main rider and race leader Jonas Vingegaard was able to narrowly avoid the carnage.

Vingegaard's main rival, two-time champion Tadej Pogačar also avoided the crash as well as Australian Jai Hindley, who entered the stage fourth in the general classification.

There was a major crash early on stage 14 , which led to a stoppage of approximately 20 minutes as several riders were assessed by medical staff.

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A spectator taking a selfie caused another huge pile-up at the Tour de France

• A spectator taking a selfie caused a new pile-up at the Tour de France on Saturday.
• Replay footage shows the specator holding their phone, arms outstretched, and clipping a cyclist.
• The Tour de France tweeted that every rider that fell was able to get back on their bikes.

A spectator taking a selfie cased a massive collision at the Tour de France on Sunday, sending numerous riders tumbling to the ground, photos and videos from the event showed.

Replays showed a spectator with their arms outstretched, holding a cellphone, while the peloton passed by. One rider, American cyclist Sepp Kuss, crashed into the person's arms and fell from his bike, causing the riders behind him to fall and pile up as well.

—NBC Sports Cycling (@NBCSCycling) July 16, 2023

"There was a narrowing in a town. We were just trying to slow down the peloton to let the break go and then just on the side, unfortunately, somebody wanted to get a selfie," Kuss said, according to Cycling News . "I didn't really see it coming."

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Kuss and every other rider who fell were able to get back on their bikes, according to the official Tour de France Twitter account . Kuss later told Cycling News his injuries from the pile-up had little effect on his performance.

Kuss' team, Jumbo-Visma, tweeted a warning to spectators: "Please always be aware when watching cycling at the side of the road." 

It wasn't this season's first pile-up — some two dozen riders fell onto the road on Saturday as the peloton hit a corner that was slick with rain.

It's also not the first time a spectator has caused a pile-up at the Tour de France. In 2021, a woman holding out a sign that said "ALLEZ OPI-OMI!" — "Go Grandpa, Grandma!" in English — caused a German rider to fall, starting a chain reaction that caused dozens of other riders to crash into one another.

The woman was ultimately fined 1,200 euros ($1,350) , plus a ceremonial fine of a single euro to France's professional cycling authority.

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“Respect the riders”: Pello Bilbao receives “outrageous” warning after punching spectator during Tour de France stage

Pello Bilbao was issued a warning by the UCI race jury last night, after the Basque rider was caught on camera punching a spectator who appeared to block his path while running alongside the breakaway on the Col de la Loze yesterday.

The Bahrain Victorious all-rounder, who is currently sitting in sixth place on GC at this year’s Tour, was part of a small chasing group with David Gaudu and Chris Harper – about a minute behind eventual stage winner Felix Gall – approaching the summit of the HC-rated mountain when a fan, trying to run on the road beside the riders, seemed to impede his progress.

Bilbao could then be clearly seen lashing out at the spectator, knocking the man’s hat from his head as he vented his frustration.

😞 Insólito! 🥊🇪🇦Pello Bilbao agrede a un aficionado muestras subía el 🏔️Col de la Loze #TDF2023 #Noticiclismo #Ciclismo pic.twitter.com/DP2hI8dai7 — NotiCiclismo ➡ 🇨🇵 #TDF2023 (@Noticiclismo1) July 19, 2023

Following the stage, Bilbao’s retaliatory swipe earned him a place on the UCI’s nightly list of race jury decisions, as he received a warning for “inappropriate behaviour (towards a spectator)”. The 33-year-old was served an “official notice”, but didn’t receive any kind of fine or further punishment for his actions.

> “This is like Ventoux all over again”: Thomas Voeckler excluded from Tour de France stage after motorbike chaos on Col de la Loze holds up Jonas Vingegaard

His run-in with the fan wasn’t the Bahrain Victorious rider’s only pulse-quickening, surreal moment on the Col de la Loze. Just moments after the brief altercation, Bilbao, Gaudu, and Harper were forced to squeeze their way past a traffic jam after a motorbike – carrying former Tour yellow jersey and King of the Mountains-turned pundit Tommy Voeckler – stalled on a steep bend.

Voeckler and his moto pilot – whose impromptu stop on the road forced yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard to briefly unclip – also appeared on the jury’s list, receiving a 500 Swiss Franc fine each and a one-day suspension from the Tour for their troubles.

But it’s the UCI’s decision to warn Bilbao for reprimanding a fan encroaching into the riders’ space that has caused something of a backlash on social media, with one fan describing the sanction as “outrageous”.

“That is not aggression – with his heart at 200 and at the limit of his strength, someone jumps into his path and breaks up his rhythm, Pello Bilbao acts correctly,” another Spanish viewer added. “The Tour covers up its poor organisation by admonishing the athlete. Respect the riders.”

> Selfie-taking spectator causes huge crash at Tour de France

The online defence of Bilbao, and the criticism of the fan’s actions, isn’t a surprise, coming as it does just days after a selfie-taking spectator struck Sepp Kuss with his arm , causing a massive pile-up in the peloton and injuring several riders.

Kuss’ Jumbo-Visma team have since threatened to press charges against the spectator, with sports director Arthur van Dongen claiming the team had suffered “enormously large” material damage and that they would “certainly try to recover the expenses from that person”.

“I think we owe that to the riders who were on the ground. Not only ours, but also those of other teams,” added team boss Richard Plugge. “It’s really nice that the public is standing by the side and cheering us on. We’re very happy with that, but just keep your distance. I think it’s very important that we send a strong signal for once.”

> Jumbo-Visma willing to sue Tour de France spectator who caused huge crash while taking selfie

Earlier in this year’s Tour, Bora-Hansgrohe’s Jordi Meeus was struck on the shoulder by a fan leaning over the barriers to attempt to film a sprint finish on their phone, while TotalEnergies’ Steff Cras was forced to abandon the race a day later due to what he claimed was a crash caused by fans spilling onto the road .

Then, on stage 13, Lilian Calmejane was brought down by a homemade washing line of cycling tops, put together in tribute to French hero Raymond Poulidor and held together by two flimsy poles, which snapped and fell into his path.

> Spectators cause two crashes in two days at Tour de France, Steff Cras forced to leave and blasts them saying "you have no respect"

Bilbao’s warning for striking the spectator, then, isn’t likely to remove too much gloss from what has been a very successful Tour. After an underwhelming start in his home region, the Basque rider took an emotional victory from the breakaway on stage 10 , outsprinting Georg Zimmermann at the end of an anarchic day in the Massif Central.

Pello Bilbao judged the finale to perfection 💪 The Team Bahrain Victorious rider wins Stage 10 of the Tour de France from the breakaway and dedicates the victory to Gino Mäder ❤️️ ______________ 🇫🇷 #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/xVG60sHEZL — Velon CC (@VelonCC) July 11, 2023

The 33-year-old Basque climber’s tactical nous not only netted him his long-awaited first ever win at the Tour – which he dedicated to Bahrain Victorious teammate and friend Gino Mäder, who died following a crash at last month’s Tour de Suisse – but also saw him vault up the GC, a position he has retained as the race approaches its finale in Paris on Sunday.

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Ryan joined road.cc in December 2021 and since then has kept the site’s readers and listeners informed and enthralled (well at least occasionally) on news, the live blog, and the road.cc Podcast. After boarding a wrong bus at the world championships and ruining a good pair of jeans at the cyclocross, he now serves as road.cc’s senior news writer. Before his foray into cycling journalism, he wallowed in the equally pitiless world of academia, where he wrote a book about Victorian politics and droned on about cycling and bikes to classes of bored students (while taking every chance he could get to talk about cycling in print or on the radio). He can be found riding his bike very slowly around the narrow, scenic country lanes of Co. Down.

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As per my comment on the other story with that quote from Plugge "materiaal" in dutch == "equipment" in this context. So "material damage" is a poor/unidiomatic translation almost certainly. You should change it to "equipment damage".

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The fans are lucky that The Badger isn't still racing.

The fans seem to have been particularly intrusive this year, far more interested in their moment on social media than the racing.  

Flares etc particularly dangerous, given that the dry landscape there is like a tinderbox.

Maybe some kind of Boudica inspired chariot going up ahead of the riders might persuade the fans to step back to a distance where everyone will get a far better view of the racers as they pass.

Good job. 👍

There are new and more dangerous behaviours going down in the mountain crowd. Too many liquored up dickheads with their own messages or motives to promote on live camera. There's also a new fascination in throwing glitter onto passing riders.

Personally. I think riders should be allowed to tazer the idiots.

Good for him, the crowd has been ridiculous this year, and if he had have been fined I would have chipped in a fiver! There should be a tractor with a big rotating flail driving ahead of the riders ensuring that the road is clear.

Same rules apply as those that (should) apply to cars: if you were close enough for the rider to hit you, you were de facto too close. Don't be a dick and you'll be fine. Nothing but sympathy for the riders, nothing but contempt for the "fans" who are more interested in getting on the telly than supporting the race.

I'm surprised more riders haven't been hitting fans this year. Some of these people are morons. Anyone who lights a flare needs throwing off the mountain.   

Offwood wrote: I'm surprised more riders haven't been hitting fans this year. Some of these people are morons. Anyone who lights a flare needs throwing off the mountain.   

or throwing down a well with said flare stuck where there is no solar activity. 

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Tour de France

Fan provokes crash that knocks podium contenders down and out of tour de france, simon yates drops from 4th to 6th, and belgian rider steff cras who started 13th overall is evacuated by ambulance..

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LIMOGES, France — Tour de France podium contender Simon Yate s lost time and Steff Cras is out of the race after a fan too close to the roadway caused havoc in Saturday’s eighth stage.

It was not immediately clear if the fan was taking a photo or leaning in too close to the peloton, but several riders crashed just as the bunch was ramping up speeds for the mass sprint.

Cras of TotalEnergies, who started the day 13th overall, was transported to a local hospital with injuries, while Yates, who started fourth overall, and Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious) both ceded 47 seconds after they couldn’t chase back to the leaders.

“When a spectator steps up more than one meter up the road and don’t move when the peloton arrive, then you better stay home,” Cras wrote on Twitter. “You have no respect for the riders. I hope you feel really guilty! I have to leave.”

Also read : Mark Cavendish crashes out of the Tour de France

The crash was the first major incident involving fans on the roadway so far in the 2023 Tour.

Race officials working to improve rider safety across the Tour are also trying to educate fans along the course about race etiquette and giving the speeding peloton more space.

In 2021, the opening stage was marred by one of the worse crashes in Tour history when a fan holding a sign provoked a massive pileup in stage 1. The “omi-opi” incident went viral.

💥Crash in the peloton, involving @SimonYatess . Steff Cras is also badly hurt 💥Accident dans le peloton, impliquant @SimonYatess . Steff Cras est également touché. #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/coE9Ag0coF — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 8, 2023

Saturday’s incident sees immediate impact on the race for the Tour de France podium.

Yates dropped from fourth to sixth after losing 47 seconds, and team officials confirmed Saturday he did not break any bones, but he’s suffering “pain and stiffness in his pelvis from the impact,” a team statement read.

“We got him a bike as quick as possible. Maybe someone stepped on the road, I don’t know. A crash within the last [six] kilometer, you know it’s going to be costly, particularly with a fast finish like today,” said Jayco-AlUla sport director Mat Hayman. “You hope that he gets to the back with the three-second rule on today’s stage, but there were too many gaps.”

The fall came on the same stage that Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) crashed out on, just one day after nearly breaking the all-time stage-win record at the Tour de France.

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Jumbo-Visma ready to sue fan roadside who sparked Tour de France crash

Reuters reports that French police have identified the fan who sparked the incident during stage 15

The spectator that caused a mass crash early in stage 15 of the Tour de France could  face legal action and be liable for  damages to the Jumbo-Visma team, with Reuters reporting that the French gendarmerie had identified the fan who sparked the incident.

Sepp Kuss, the key lieutenant for Jumbo-Visma race leader Jonas Vingegaard, crashed hard, along with teammate  Nathan Van Hooydonck  and others riders when a roadside fan leant into the road in the path of the peloton, apparently  to take a selfie as the riders approached.

Reuters reported , citing a source with direct knowledge of the matter, that the spectator would not be arrested unless Kuss and Jumbo-Visma press charges with French police as per French legal procedures. 

When asked if the rider would press charges, a Jumbo-Visma spokesperson said: "The team might do. We’ll find out how and when."

"I think we owe that to the riders who were on the ground. Not only ours, but also those of other teams," Jumbo-Visma team manager Richard Plugge told Dutch broadcaster  NOS, calling on fans to behave better when watching the Tour de France from the roadside.  

‘I didn’t see it coming’ – Sepp Kuss crashes into spectator at Tour de France Spectator causes multi-rider crash on Tour de France stage 15 Tour de France 2023 stage 16 preview - Race of truth

“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,” Kuss said of the crash . “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.

“There was a narrowing in a town. We were just trying to slow down the peloton 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.” All those who fell made it to the end of stage 15, but there were a number included in the race medical report as having received treatment during the stage.

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It is not the first time a spectator has sparked a crash at the Tour de France, nor the first time pursuing legal action against them has been discussed.

In 2021 a woman was  arrested  and charged by police after standing on the road holding a cardboard sign saying "Allez Opi-Omi!" during the opening stage from Brest to Landerneau. 

Jumbo-Visma rider Tony Martin was unable to avoid her sparking a mass pile-up. In that case, she was fined €1,200 by a French court and ordered to pay a symbolic €1 to the French Cycling Union, UNCP.  

Tour de France organisers ASO withdrew their lawsuit but called on spectators to respect the riders.  

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Simone is a degree-qualified journalist that has accumulated decades of wide-ranging experience while working across a variety of leading media organisations. She joined Cyclingnews as a Production Editor at the start of the 2021 season and has now moved into the role of Australia Editor. Previously she worked as a freelance writer, Australian Editor at Ella CyclingTips and as a correspondent for Reuters and Bloomberg . Cycling was initially purely a leisure pursuit for Simone, who started out as a business journalist, but in 2015 her career focus also shifted to the sport.

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Tour de France teams ask fans to behave better after a mass pileup in latest stage

The Associated Press

Belgium's Nathan van Hooydonck crashed during the 15th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 179 kilometers (111 miles) with start in Les Gets Les Portes du Soleil and finish in Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc, France, Sunday, July 16, 2023. Daniel Cole/AP hide caption

Belgium's Nathan van Hooydonck crashed during the 15th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 179 kilometers (111 miles) with start in Les Gets Les Portes du Soleil and finish in Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc, France, Sunday, July 16, 2023.

SAINT-GERVAIS MONT-BLANC, France — Tour de France overall leader Jonas Vingegaard is calling on fans to behave better at cycling's biggest race after another mass crash marred the 15th stage on Sunday.

"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," Vingegaard said. "Please, just enjoy the race."

The Danish rider leads Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia by only 10 seconds with the race about to enter its final week.

The incident, which involved around two dozen riders, led to appeals from several teams at the Tour.

Women get their own Tour de France — a first in over 3 decades

"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 Cofidis team said amid unverified reports that the spectator who caused the crash was taking a selfie.

The Ineos Grenadiers team said "please give the riders room to race."

A day after a big pileup forced several riders to abandon, the latest accident occurred after 52 kilometers (32 miles) when a spectator on the side of the road inadvertently touched American rider Sepp Kuss — a key teammate of Vingegaard — and sent him to the ground.

Fans gathering on the sides of roads and in villages as riders pass by is part of the tradition — and charm — of the Tour, but many spectators can take too many risks, including when they run alongside riders in mountain ascents.

Jumbo-Visma said Dylan van Baarle and Nathan van Hooydonck were among those who hit the tarmac on Sunday. Vingegaard was riding close to his teammates but escaped unscathed.

"The team felt pretty good today, although we of course had this crash that affected some of my teammates," Vingegaard said.

Organizers also asked fans to "pay attention to the riders" after the incident which did not lead to any withdrawals.

Two years ago, a spectator brandishing a large cardboard sign while leaning into the path of oncoming riders led to a massive pileup during the opening stage.

Dutch veteran Wout Poels soloed to victory Sunday after the tough trek in the Alps.

• Tour de France

Another Year, Another Fan Causing a Serious Crash at the Tour de France

Racer Steff Cras was forced to abandon the race, saying he hopes the people causing these crashes 'feel guilty.' A day later, a fan caused another crash.

After being crashed out on Saturday, Belgian rider Steff Cras (TotalEnergies) was forced to abandon the race. He was sitting in 13th position in the GC, but according to his team, suffered serious contusions on his hip and elbow, though thankfully no broken bones. He said on Twitter: “When a spectator advances more than a meter on the road and does not move when the peloton arrives, it would be better if he stayed at home. You have no respect for riders. I hope you feel guilty. I have to leave the Tour because of you!”

Cras wasn’t the only rider to crash—the fan also took out the GC’s 4th and 11th place riders Simon Yates and Mikel Landa, who lost nearly a minute in the overall GC thanks to that incident.

Sadder still: The situation was repeated on Sunday’s stage when Lilian Calmejane of Intermarche was taken out by a fan tribute pole being waved on course. Impressively, after the crash, he was able to not only catch back up to the peloton, he moved into the race lead until six kilometers to go. His team tweeted that he’ll be able to continue the race, but added a plea to fans to be more cautious.

It’s hard to think of a more ironic situation, a fan so thrilled at being able to cheer on riders that they love, and then taking them out of the race entirely. Hopefully we won’t see any more of these incidents in the remaining weeks of the Tour

Molly writes about cycling, nutrition and training, with an emphasis on women in sport. Her new middle-grade series, Shred Girls, debuts with Rodale Kids/Random House in 2019 with "Lindsay's Joyride." Her other books include "Mud, Snow and Cyclocross," "Saddle, Sore" and "Fuel Your Ride." Her work has been published in magazines like Bicycling, Outside and Nylon. She co-hosts The Consummate Athlete Podcast.

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Five Times Fans (and Dogs) Caused Race-Changing Crashes at the Tour de France

Saturday's crash is just the latest in a long history of over-eager fans and too-close spectators causing chaos on the Tour de France.

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CLERMONT-FERRAND, France — Simon Yates (Jayco-AlUla) was licking his wounds overnight, and Steffan Cras (TotalEnergies) was riding the Tour de France of his life before an inattentive fan ruined it all.

The Belgian was 13th overall when he clipped a spectactor leaning into the race course Saturday, sending him to the hospital and knocking Yates from fourth to sixth in his quest for the final podium.

Also read : Fan provokes crash that knocks Tour de France podium contenders down and out

Saturday’s incident isn’t the first nor will it be the last when fans and over-eager spectators shape the outcome of the Tour de France.

Having the fans so close and so near to the racing action is part of the charm and allure of the Tour, so it’s inevitable that things can and will go wrong.

Here are five times fans (and dogs) changed the Tour de France:

5. Dogs on the loose: Yves Lampaert steamed

Dogs causing crashes at the Tour is nothing new. There have been numerous occasions of the years with a dog off the leash creating havoc in the Tour peloton.

One of the most striking examples happened in the 2007 Tour involving Marcus Burghardt, whose carbon wheel completed folded from the impact.

Last year’s opening yellow jersey Yves Lampaert, who snatched the maillot jaune in Copenhagen to open the 2022 Tour, later crashed in stage 12 when a dog got off the leash.

“Leave your dog at home!” barked the Belgian rider on Soudal Quick-Step.

Despite the high number of dogs and pets being strutted around the paddock in this year’s Tour, so far, none have strayed onto the race course.

4. Eddy Merckx sucker punched in 1975

Fans can be partisan at bike races, so much so that Eddy Merckx was famously punched in the guts during the Puy du Dome stage in 1975 in famous clash with Bernard Thévénet.

Also read : Five times the Tour de France GC imploded on the first stage

Though the next day was a rest day, Merckx remains convinced that the incident prevented him from winning a sixth yellow jersey. The next road stage was a real brute, with five climbs over the Alps ending at Pra Loup.

Merckx claims he felt searing pain in his abdomen on the final climb and he cramped up, allowing the attacking Thévénet to gap him and take over the yellow jersey. Merckx stayed stuck at five crowns.

3. Wilfried Nelissen strikes a policeman in 1994

Wilfried Nelissen provoked a horrible crash in the 1994 Tour de France when he struck a French police officer at full speed.

During that year’s Tour, police officers were stationed alongside the barriers at about 100m intervals on the finishing straight. It appeared that officer might have been taking a photo as the peloton sped in for the sprint finale.

Nelissen was sprinting along the barriers and struck the officer at full speed, also taking down Laurent Jalabert, who was left with a bloodied nose from the brutal high-speed impact.

Hundreds of police officers line the Tour route each day, from motorcycles patrolling the route, to others posted along the route at every road crossing in each stage.

There was another horrible crash involving Djamolodine Abdoujaparov on the Champs-Élysées in the 1991 Tour reveals just how close the fans can get to the action.

The “Terror from Tashkent” was opening up his attack for the prestigious final sprint in Paris when he veered straight into the sideline fencing, and provoked a massive pileup that took down riders on the right side of the road. Dazed and confused, he eventually was helped across the finish line by teammates, and claimed the first of three green jerseys he’d win.

Though he was crumpled on the road 100 meters from the finish, rules required that he cross the finish line to have the official result.

2. Opi-Omi provokes worst mass crash in modern Tour de France history

The 2021 Tour de France started off in the worse possible way with what was the worst mass crash in race history.

The most infamous opening day crash happened just two years ago with a sign that was seen around the world.

A fan holding a poster meant to say hello to her grandparents — the infamous opi and omi — provoked one of the most horrible high-speed mass crashes in recent Tour history. Riders fell like dominoes as the peloton buckled from the shock of the impact. One rider went down, then 10, then dozens.

Despite the horrific consequences, only three riders crashed out, and one more did not start the next day.

The woman holding the sign later went into hiding as the incident went “viral” across global media. She finally turned herself in to local police after growing pressure. Despite threats of millions of dollars of lawsuits from teams, sponsors, and race organizers, she paid a relatively minor fine.

No word if she’s back at the race this year.

1. Lance Armstrong tangles handlebars with feed bag

Perhaps the most notorious incident involving a too-close-fan came in the 2003 Tour de France with Lance Armstrong.

That year’s Tour was full of ups and downs for the now-disqualified Armstrong, who was racing that year to match the five-straight yellow jersey record held by Miguel Indurain.

Armstrong was attacking in the Pyrénées when his handlebar got tangled up with a fan holding a souvenir musette feed bag handed out by the publicity caravan.

Armstrong was whiplashed to the ground, also taking down Iban Mayo of Spain along with him. Rivals Jan Ullrich and Tyler Hamilton later slowed when they heard Armstrong crashed, who later remounted and won the stage. Those results were later disqualified as part of the USADA case.

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Spectator taking a selfie causes massive crash at Tour de France

It was the selfie that nearly brought the Tour de France to a screeching halt. 

A fan snap a picture clipped American Sepp Kuss causing him to crash during the 15th stage of the famed cycling race on Sunday.

Kuss immediately went down after the spectator’s arm hit his handlebars and that caused a number of riders behind him to crash as well, with even more being delayed because of the incident. 

Kuss and the others were not hurt and the race continued on.

Dutch cyclist Wout Poels won the stage, which was the first stage win of his career. 

“There was a narrowing in the town and a spectator in the road, and I guess he just clipped my handlebars,” Kuss told the BBC. “Luckily I’m OK and hopefully the other guys in the crash are all right. It’s not ideal. 

“I think it’s fatigue. It’s been such a hard race and everybody is a bit tired. You lose a bit of alertness and there’s always things out of your control as well.”

A replay of the crash showed a fan in a white hat had their arm extended into the path of the riders while holding his phone to capture an image. 

Tour de France spectator causes a huge crash in the peloton! #TDF2023 📺: Peacock pic.twitter.com/USu6eUO0o1

After the stage was completed several race teams took to Twitter to ask fans to be a bit more cautious while they’re out enjoying some of the sport’s best athletes competing on its biggest stage. 

Team Jumbo-Visma wrote on its Twitter account: “Please be always aware when watching cycling at the side of the road.”

Another team, INEOS Grenadiers team , had one of their racers involved in the crash and asked the public to be more aware. 

“If you are spectating at this amazing event, please give the riders room to race,” they tweeted. 

Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard told also addressed what happened with reporters. 

“Act nice on the side of the road,” said Vingegaard, who was not impacted by the fan-created crash. “Don’t get on the road, don’t punch the riders. Be there and watch the race. You don’t have to get on the road or pour beer on us or whatever. Just have fun watching the race instead of doing some stupid things like that.”

The crash on Sunday brought back memories of a similar incident that occurred back in 2021 when a spectator holding a sign out clipped a rider on the first stage of the Tour de France and caused a massive crash. 

Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard have a message for fans after the recent Tour de France incidents. #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/cuRvw4l5Av

Two riders had to step away from the event and eight others were treated for injuries.

The woman who caused the crash eventually turned herself in to French authorities and was convicted in court of reckless endangerment and involuntarily causing injuries.

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The best fans at the Tour de France, ranked

The Tour de France is more than a race, it is an event, and the fans make it that way

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The 2023 Tour de France is in its final week, and as the riders close on Paris, it would seem the issue of general classification is all but settled. Thanks to a “time trial of destruction” from defending champion Jonas Vingegaard on Tuesday, followed by another impressive ride in the mountains on Wednesday, Vingegaard now has a lead of over seven seconds over his biggest rival, Tadej Pogačar.

While four stages remain, and even Vingegaard conceded that the matter is not decided, he is closing in on his second straight Tour de France title.

But that does not mean we are without things to discuss.

After all, the Tour de France is much more than a cycling race. It is an event. Part of what makes it one of the most fascinating sporting events in the world happens alongside the riders. As the peloton winds its way through France each July, thousands upon thousands of fans line the route, cheering the competitors on in their own distinctive way.

To pay tribute to those supporters — the good and the bad — here are the best spectators of the 2023 Tour de France, ranked.

1. The Bidon Swish

It’s the cycling/basketball crossover we all didn’t know we would need but now can enjoy nonetheless.

The Tour de France is the greatest sporting event in the world, and you’ll never convince me otherwise #tdf2023 pic.twitter.com/092yyiE0KU — Myles Smith (@mylessmith33) July 18, 2023

Up until this moment, you never knew that you needed a Tour de France rider swishing a water bottle mid-stage.

Now you wonder how you ever lived without it.

Also, great job Guillaume Boivin for nailing this shot.

2. One proud pup

Dogs are the best.

Valentin Madouas, a rider for Groupama–FDJ, spotted a familiar face on the side of the road during the final week of the Tour de France.

His dog Perle:

Valentin Madouas spots his dog during the Tour de France pic.twitter.com/OHTpq45FzZ — Emma La Jaune #SiempreGino (@cyclartist) July 20, 2023

Groupama-FDJ posted a longer video on Instagram, outlining how one of Madouas’s other dogs, Paquito, could not make the Tour de France this year, so Perle was called in as a substitute. Perle even managed to “growl” at Wout Poels, a rider for Team Bahrain Victorious who won Stage 15:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Équipe Cycliste Groupama-FDJ (@equipegroupamafdj)

Fantastic stuff.

3. Pizza Guy

For many spectators, taking in the Tour de France means finding a way to help. Whether just offering support, or in the case of this fan, pizza.

A fan offering Ben O'Connor a freshly baked pizza after giving his all for Felix Gall #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/N6Q235vRtI — Eurosport (@eurosport) July 19, 2023

Where does Pizza Guy come from? We don’t know! What is his purpose? To offer pizza to Australian rider Ben O’Connor! That’s it? You’re damn right that’s it. Pizza Guy FTW!

4. Marge Simpson: Cycling Fan

Let’s see. It’s mid-July in France, you’re getting ready to watch the cycling on Bastille Day, and you need to pick out the absolute perfect outfit.

Obviously the answer is Marge Simpson.

"Not now honey, I have to pick up my Marge Simpson costume and go to see the stage" pic.twitter.com/t3D0lMftd4 — Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) July 14, 2023

5. The Mid-Stage Party

The Tour de France is one big party, just ask French rider Benoît Cosnefroy. He stopped midway through Stage 14 on one of the hardest climbs in the race to absolutely soak in the crowd. Man of the people.

La folie des supporters de @BenoitCosnefroy et @AurelienParetP dans Joux Plane Le vélo qu’on y aime #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/UXvvWQU7nF — Julien Trivero (@Julientrivero) July 15, 2023

The only reason we did not rank this higher is because it has more to do with Cosnefroy than the fans alone. But what a moment.

6. Supporters, or mechanics?

During Tuesday’s pivotal individual time trial, Pogačar made a fascinating decision mid-stage. After starting out on a time trial bike, he made the switch to a road bike to take on the final climbs at the end of the stage.

Switching mid-stage can be difficult and time consuming.

Unless some fans want to lend a hand.

Really liked this episode from #TDF2023 stage 16, where a couple of cycling fans are helping T. Pogacar and UAE with his bike change. In what other sports do fans actually, get to participate in the action? pic.twitter.com/FiGk1OHKO3 — JJ (@me_marco) July 19, 2023

This has us thinking, however. What other sports should allow spectators to help out mid-event? Imagine pulling a fan out of the stands to warm up a pitcher in the bullpen? Maybe letting fans change some tires as part of a NASCAR pit crew or during an F1 race.

7. Father-son Painting

If you have ever seen a Tour de France stage, you probably noticed that a significant portion of the roads, and virtually all of the major climbs, have been painted over. Names, motivational messages, whatever — fans have paint and they intend to use it. Representing all of them on our list are this father/son duo who were up at 8 a.m. to put names and smiley faces on the asphalt on Stage 14.

Le 8 del mattino sul Joux Plane, l'inizio di una straordinaria festa popolare. Un papà che scrive i nomi dei corridori sull'asfalto e il figlio che aggiunge faccine sorridenti imbrattandosi di vernice. Il #TDF2023 in una sola immagine. (Grazie Lele per la testimonianza). pic.twitter.com/5iOUUXAssI — Bidon (@ciclismoliquido) July 16, 2023

Bonus points to the son. He is all decked out in Team Jumbo-Visma gear and as such is probably rooting for Vingegaard, but it looks like he just painted “Pogi” for Pogačar, Vingegaard’s biggest rival in the Tour de France. You love to see it.

8. The singing Gendarme

The French as a passionate, romantic people. It comes through in their food, their daily lives, and yes, through song.

LA LA LA LA LA LA LA Give this guy a Grammy! Votre tube de l'été 2023 ! #TDF2023 Could be produced by @OutOfCycling ! pic.twitter.com/kcvMTXcXTM — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 4, 2023

While a Grammy might not be in the works, making this list is the next-best thing, right?

9. The Race Steward

As we will see in a moment, fans have disrupted the 2023 Tour de France. During Tuesday’s pivotal Stage 16 time trial, one fan in a polka-dot jersey came dangerously close to race leader Vingegaard.

But another fan was not having it. Watch as this fan — and perhaps future race steward — prevents an excited supporter from not just disrupting the time trial, but perhaps changing the course of the general classification:

Gotta love the crowd control by fans for Fans alongside today's @LeTour TT! (dude manages Polka Dot Fan while having cell phone AND beer & cigarette in other hand!) #letour #TDF2023 cc: @OutOfCycling pic.twitter.com/KGUho68gWc — Stefan Rothe (@stefanrothe) July 18, 2023

What makes it even better? Our hero accomplishes this despite holding a cell phone, bottle of beer and cigarette in his hands at the same time. A true Renaissance Man of our time.

10. Rabbit Girl

Sometimes as a parent you make promises to your children as a means of avoiding difficult decisions. You give them a task that you can never imagine them accomplishing and tell them if they someone pull it off, then sure, you will give them what they want.

Like telling your daughter that if she gets her picture with Pogačar, she can finally have that rabbit she has been asking for. Rabbits can be mean, after all, and there’s no chance she’ll be able to ... wait what?

Pogacar made this fan's day #TDF2023 (via @TeamEmiratesUAE ) pic.twitter.com/j03lJsdLhr — Eurosport (@eurosport) July 16, 2023

Hope she has fun with her rabbit.

11. Random fish guy

This is the tenth — and final — Tour de France for Thibaut Pinot. The French cyclist is a hero in his home country, having finished third in the general classification in the 2014 Tour de France. He also has three stage wins in the Tour de France over his career.

So along the route there are many pulling for Pinot.

Including fish guy.

Cycling fans can be the best! Nos supporters ont du talent ! @maillotapois #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/6lvEbe5qmm — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 11, 2023

“Hey honey, I’m heading out to the bike race to cheer for Pinot. Have you seen my fish costume?”

12. Cofidis has a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell

Riders are not the only ones who come in (sometimes too) close contact with fans. Team personnel riding along in the support cars are no different, as this video from François Pervis from a Team Cofidis car shows.

There is a lot going on here, but one thing certainly stands out.

Cowbell dude.

Très compliqué aujourd’hui dans le dernier col. On comprends rapidement pourquoi la moto image n’a pas pu prendre du champ et a gêné l’attaque de pogacar. pic.twitter.com/1c6dajxcmt — François Pervis (@FrancoisPervis) July 15, 2023

It’s 90 degrees, and he has a humongous cowbell strapped around his body. That’s dedication to the craft. You, sir, are an inspiration to all of us!

13. Borat fans

Kids, do not try this at home.

Uno que no ha devuelto el prestamo y cofidis tocando los pic.twitter.com/d0ouHwIbSQ — De lejarreta y sean kelly. (@gurpeazkar) July 7, 2023

Honestly, that might be enough to get any cyclist out of the seat and into high-energy mode.

14. Tractor man

This is so incredibly random, we just had to include it. It’s a guy, on a bike, on an excavator, on the side of the road.

pic.twitter.com/hqayjHTIjL — Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) July 4, 2023

Did they rent the excavator? Are these construction workers on a day off? You know what, we don’t want to know. We just want to appreciate the randomness of it all.

10/10, no complaints.

Absolutely, positively last place: This chucklehead

Attending the Tour de France is a bucket-list item for many. Spending a month working through the French countryside, seeing some of the best athletes in the world performing at the peak of their abilities? Seems like a fun time.

You might even want to take a photo or two. Of course you will.

Just, whatever you do, do not do this:

Another huge crash that seemed to be caused by a fan... All riders involved are back on their bikes #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/QkxrGaMhcV — Eurosport (@eurosport) July 16, 2023

An estimated 10-15 million cycling fans line the roads during the Tour de France and as we’ve seen most of them are awesome. And then there is Mr. “I need to take a selfie with the peloton and take out several riders in the process of doing so.”

Not cool, dude. Not cool.

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Fan causes huge crash that sends riders ‘down like skittles’ on Stage 15 of Tour de France 2023

For the second day in a row, there was a huge crash at the Tour de France. It appeared as though a fan clipped a Jumbo-Visma rider, who then careered into the peloton. It happened towards, but not right at, the front of the bunch, and the rider who was originally clipped by the fan appeared to be Sepp Kuss. Stream the 2023 Tour de France live and on-demand on discovery+ and eurosport.com

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Tour de France: Jasper Philipsen wins stage three – as it happened

Adam Yates remains in yellow, while Jasper Philipsen had to survive a trip to the stewards’ room before being confirmed the winner of stage three

• Read Jeremy Whittle’s stage three report
• 3 Jul 2023 Philipsen prevails in chaotic finish at Bayonne
• 3 Jul 2023 General Classification: top five after stage three
• 3 Jul 2023 Stage three: top five finishers
• 3 Jul 2023 Jasper Philipsen is confirmed the winner of stage three!
• 3 Jul 2023 Stage three: Jasper Philipsen wins!
• 3 Jul 2023 Jasper Philipsen wins the stage!!!
• 3 Jul 2023 Intermediate sprint
• 3 Jul 2023 Stage three is under way ...
• 3 Jul 2023 Tour de France 2023: the jerseys
• 3 Jul 2023 Stage two report: Lafay wins as Yates remains in yellow
• 3 Jul 2023 Stage three: Amorebieta-Etxano to Bayonne (187.4km)

Philipsen prevails in chaotic finish at Bayonne

Stage three report: Jasper Philipsen of Belgium, riding for the Alpecin-Deceuninck team, won the 193.5km third stage of the 2023 Tour de France after a bunch sprint finish in Bayonne.

General Classification: top five after stage three

Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) 13hr 52 min 33sec

Tadej Pogacer (UAE Team Emirates) +06sec

Simon Yates (Jayco–Alula) +06sec

Victor Lafay (Cofidis) +12sec

Wout van Aert +16sec

Stage three: top five finishers

1. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin–Deceuninck) 4hr 43min 15sec 2. Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) 3. Caleb Ewan (Lotto–Dstny) 4. Fabio Jakobsen (Soudal-Quick Step) 5. Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma)

💛 @AdamYates7 retains the @MaillotjauneLCL of the race, and @TamauPogi keeps the ⚪ jersey following today's stage! 💛 @AdamYates7 conserve le @MaillotjauneLCL , et @TamauPogi conserve le maillot ⚪ à l'issue de l'étape d'aujourd'hui ! #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/FShdRfTTeB — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 3, 2023

🔥He won the last #TDF2022 sprint, he wins the first #TDF2023 sprint today in Bayonne ! Well done to @JasperPhilipsen 👏 🔥Il avait gagné le dernier sprint du #TDF2022 , il gagne le premier sprint du #TDF2023 . Bravo @JasperPhilipsen 👏 pic.twitter.com/gIef1z9cBi — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 3, 2023

Jasper Philipsen speaks: He’s naturally delighted with himself but isn’t asked to talk about what happened in the jury room as the interview is conducted by the official Tour TV feed. “I can be really happy with our team performance today, they gave me a great leadout,” he says. “I’m really happy to keep it to the finish line. I tried to take the shortest route to the finish and fortunately I was first over the line.”

Jasper Philipsen is confirmed the winner of stage three!

It’s no disaster for Jasper as he leaves the jury trailer with a big grin on his face that confirms he has won his third Tour de France stage.

Philipsen is summoned to the jury room: Looking grim, he makes his way before the race beaks. On Eurosport, Robbie McEwan says that doesn’t bode well for his chances of keeping the stage.

No word from Jasper Philipsen yet: The stage winner hasn’t been interviewed by Tour TV yet, which suggests he could yet lose it in the stewards’ room. He’s waiting alongside his girlfriend in the hut, watching a replay of the finish on a screen with Tadej Pogacar. He’s looking quite apprehensive.

It’s a little difficult to describe exactly what did for Van Aert in the end – in my completely unbiased opinion, it was a kink in the layout of the barriers that meant he simply couldn’t follow his racing line as long as Philipsen didn’t deviate from his, because he simply ran out of road. If anyone is to blame for Van Aert’s defeat, it’s the race organisers, specifically whoever erected the barriers in such a way that they created a kind of funnel in the closing stages.

Wout van Aert: You can probably expect more angry bidon-flinging from the Belgian, who will see today’s stage as another opportunity lost. He was practically alongside Philipsen with 20 or so metres to go, but the manner in which the barriers were laid out meant that Philipsen only had to keep his racing line to ensure the door was shut on Van Aert, who was forced to sit up. We may have a stewards enquiry, whether or not Jumbo Visma complain, although I don’t think Philipsen did anything wrong. “I would be both surprised and completely dismayed [if Philipsen loses this],” says Robbie McEwan in the Eurosport studio.

Stage three: Jasper Philipsen wins!

After holding off a challenge from Wout van Aeert, who came up his inside but was forced to back off when it became apparent he might end up in the barriers, Philipsen beats Bauhaus and Ewan. He wins by a wheel. Hats off to Mathieu van der Poel, who finished a perfect Alpecin-Deceuninck lead-out by leaving Philipsen in a perfect position to win the stage. Mark Cavendish finished sixth.

Jasper Philipsen wins the stage!!!

Alpecin–Deceuninck give their Belgian rider the perfect lead-out and he wins stage three of this year’s Tour by half a wheel from Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious) and Caleb Ewan.

2km to go: The riders negotiate the hairpin before taking a tricky left-hander. Mark Cavendish is still in the mix on the right-hand side of the road behind several team-mates, with Philipsen and Ewan also well placed.

4km to go: The riders negotiate a gentle left-handed turn with another roundabout to negotiate. Uno X-Pro, the team of Alexander Kristoff, are lined up on the right side of ther road.

6km to go: Wout van Aert, Caleb Ewan, Mark Cavendish and Jasper Philipsen are all in good positions but there’s a long way to go.

7km to go: All the big-hitters look well placed with several roundabouts to come. Jasper Philipsen, one of the favourites for today’s stage, gets squeezed after finding himself on the wrong side of the road on his way into one of them and loses several places. Mark Cavendish is on Philipsen’s wheel.

11km to go: The riders of Jumbo Visma are hogging the right-hand side of the wide road, where six different teams can be spotted lined up near the front of the bunch.

14km to go: It’s not looking good for Team Lotto Dstny, as Caleb Ewan’s leadout man Jasper De Buyst is at the back of the bunch struggling, clearly suffering the after effects of a crash yesterday.

16km to go: On assorted team radios, assorted team directors are giving assorted riders the same instruction: “Get to the front and make a bubble”, to help surround and protect their sprinters. There isn’t room up there for all of them, hence the “washing machine” effect.

20km to go: That downhill negotiated, the speed is more sedate 36km per hour. Mark Cavendish is up there among the first 30 riders, surrounded by Astana teammates.

21km to go: Inside the final five kilometres of this stage, the riders will have to tackle three roundabouts, a nightmarish hairpin bend and a bridge before they hit the finish line. They’re currently travelling at 70km per hour. .

25km to go: The bunch continues on its way to Bayonne with the end-of-stage “washing machine” winding up towards it’s spin cycle as riders try to get to the front, get pushed backwards by other riders trying to get to the front etc, and so on.

36km to go: At the end of a largely uneventful day, we’re getting towards the business end of the stage. The bunch is compact, speeding along with the benefit of a tailwind and the teams of assorted sprinting heavyweights trying to hold position at the front. Towards the end of the stage, at the two-kilometre mark, they’ll have to negotiate a hairpin bend that could ruin the chances of many competitors.

38km to go: Laurent Pichon is nothing if not stubborn and continues to give it his all, jaw set in a grimace and knees pumping furiously. He’s about to be swallowed up by the bunch follwing a fine solo effort. Chapeau Lauent! Somewhere in heaven your little piglets are looking down with pride … and possibly a little resentment.

An email: “A pedant writes,” says Dan Levy. “The Tour isn’t leaving the Basque Country today. Part of the Basque country is in France and part in Spain. You will still see signs written in Basque on the way into the Basque city of Bayonne. And I expect the camera will pick out pelota courts on French side of the border too.”

45km to go: The gap is into 38 seconds and Laurent Pichon’s lead is not long for this world. After a long but ultimately doomed day in the spotlight, one suspects he’ll consider it an act of mercy when he is inevitably reeled in by the bunch.

52km to go: Laurent Pichon’s lead is whittled down to a little over one minute as he continues to plough his lone furrow. If he doesn’t win today’s combativity prize and the place on the podium that goes with it, it will be a complete travesty of justice. The official rules say the prize rewards “the rider who gives the biggest effort and shows the best sportsmanship”. It is awarded by a jury chaired by the race director and an online poll. The fact that he is a Frenchman won’t do Laurent’s chances any harm.

❤️ Best team radio ever 🎙 🇫🇷 @lauPichon - @Arkea_Samsic va tout donner ! #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/v5imUyXr5P — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 3, 2023

61km to go: Another dispatch from the team Arkea Samsic race radio and this one is specifically for Laurent Pichon. We don’t know who it is but it’s a woman’s voice and I suspect it might be from his wife.

“I’m so proud of you, you’re a warrior,” she says. “You give us so much great emotion! Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy! I love you very much!” Pichon is abojut to leave the Basque country and if he achieves nothing else today, Pichon gets the honour of leading this year’s race into France.

64km to go: Having been left to his own devices by Neilson Powless, Laurent Pichon continues his lonely solo effort with the gap at 2min 11sec. On the subject of yesterday’s sabotage, French Intermarché–Circus–Wanty rider Lilian Calmejane posted this footage of the damage inflicted upon one of his tyres by roadside vandals.

His tweet reads: ““Thank you for this kind of human bullshit. I don’t think I was the only victim of a puncture in the end … know that you can fall and get really hurt with your bullshit you morons.”

Merci pour ce genre de connerie humaine … je pense ne pas avoir été le seul victime de crevaison dans le final … sachez qu’on peut tomber et se faire très mal avec vos conneries bande d’abrutis … 🤬 pic.twitter.com/IoTMolFKgO — Lilian Calmejane (@L_Calmejane) July 2, 2023

74km to go: Neilson Powless is swallowed up by the peloton as Astana rider Alexey Lutsenko punctures and stops to get a replacement back wheel. With a couple of spectators peering on out of curiosity, he points out the offending tack which seems to have been thrown on the road in scenes reminiscent of yesterday, when up to 30 riders punctured after somebody scattered tacks on the road. Apparently some of the locals are unhappy with the road closures prompted by the Tour.

79km to go: Neils Powless and Laurent Pichon continue to motor along, milking the applause of the crowds as they pedal through the streets of San Sebastian. Powless is having the time of his life, waving to the crowd and blowing them kisses.

He decides he’s had enough of being out in front in the breakaway, bumps fists with his French companion, then sits up and waits for his team car to pull alongside him. One of its occupants hands him a musette which he slings over his shoulder before stuffing his pockets with its contents. Laurent Pinchon is now out in front on his own with almost 80 kilometres to go and a lead of 2min 11sec.

🔴⚪️ @NPowless 🇺🇸 gets all mountain points of today' stage! 🗻 Neilson Powless remporte tous les points de la montagne du jour ! #TDF2023 | @maillotapois pic.twitter.com/D2FWu1HpQh — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 3, 2023

90km to go: The road is narrow and the climb steep as Neilson Powless moves ahead of Laurent Pichon to take another KOM point, the final one up for grabs today. This time he punches the air repeatedly for the benefit of the cheering crowds and gets a pat on the back from Pichon. Let’s see what happens, now that Powless has nothing left to ride for today. There are still 90 kilometres to go but the Eurosport commentary team have exhausted so many avenues of conversation that they are now completely bogged down in a long and very boring debate about the merits of various cycling shoes.

93km to go: With the leaders well on their way up the final climb, Wout van Aert drops out of the bunch to have running repairs done on one of his cleats. He remounts, pedals back on his way, takes a drink from his bidon and chucks in the direction of a few kids standing on the side of the road with nowhere near the force he angrily hurled one of its predecessors to the floor upon being beaten in yesterday’s stage finish.

96km to go: There is one categorised climb remaining in today’s stage, the Category 3 Côte d’Orioko Benta. Neilson Powless is almost certain to take the two points on offer again and it will be interesting to see what he does once he’s crossed the line. The gap from he and his fellow escapee Laurent Pichon back to the peloton is two minutes and neither of the two leaders has a snowball’s chance in hell of winning the stage. Do they soldier on together in an exercise in total futility? Does Powless leave Pichon to his own devices and sit up to conserve energy for the challenges ahead? Or do both riders allow the peloton to catch them?

An email: “The death of Scarponi was a sickener,” writes Francis Barbuti. “He was run over by a friend of his father’s and left two very small children. Life can be very cruel sometimes. He was also one of the good guys of the peloton and a good rider.”

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Tour de France 2023: Six key stages you need to watch in the men's race next July

Six stages where drama in the fight for the yellow jersey could unfold in the 110th edition of the Tour de France

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The 110th edition of the Tour de France will get underway in Bilbao in 2023 before wrapping up three weeks later in Paris. 

Taking place between 1-23 July, the 3,404 kilometre route packs plenty of punches which includes stages in all five of the country’s mountain ranges. In total there are four summit finishes to contend with including a return to the iconic Puy de Dôme climb, and just one 22 kilometre individual time trial. 

A Grand Départ in the Basque Country means plenty of drama in the opening few stages which riders of the mould of Julian Alaphilippe and Tom Pidcock will relish. After the race leaves the Basque Country, it then moves through the Pyrenees and into France with a sprint finish in Bordeaux before returning to the mountains. 

At the grand unveiling of the route, race director Christian Prudhomme called it "one for the climbers" as the multiple summit finishes and steep roads were revealed. With that considered, it makes it highly likely that riders such as Remco Evenepoel , Geraint Thomas and Primoz Roglič will head to the Giro d’Italia next year with Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar expected to lock horns in France. 

The big surprise was that there is no final weekend time trial as was widely expected, and no team time trial as was rumoured beforehand. 

Here are the six key stages where we predict early drama to take place as well as battles between the overall favourites throughout the three weeks. 

STAGE TWO: VITORIA-GASTEIZ - SAN SEBASTIAN 210 km

Stage two is undoubtedly one for the puncheurs featuring many of the climbs associated with the Clasica San Sebastian . 

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The 210 kilometre stage includes the Cote d’Aztiria, Cote d’Alkiza as well as the infamous Jaizkibel climb where the Basque fans will be out in full force. At 8.1 kilometres, the Jaizkibel is a nasty little ramp with sections touching eight per cent which the riders will have to contend with before speeding towards the finish. 

In August, Remco Evenepoel cut his way through a sea of fireworks, beer and screaming fans as he sped towards a second Klasikoa title on the Jaizkibel. Next July, expect a rider of the calibre of Julian Alaphilippe, Wout Van Aert or Matej Mohoric to be right in contention on stage two of the Tour. 

STAGE SIX: TARBES - CAUTERETS-CAMBASQUE 145 km  

Stage six sees the mighty Col du Tourmalet return to the Tour with the prize of the Souvenir Jacques Goddet , awarded to the first rider to cross the top of the Tourmalet, at the summit.

At just 145 kilometres, it includes three huge climbs including the well-known Col d’Aspin, the Col du Tourmalet and the first summit finish of the 2023 edition at Cauterets-Cambasque. The climb up to the finish is 16 kilometres in length with an average gradient of just 5.4%. However, the final three kilometres pitch all the way up to 10% meaning serious damage could be done in those final three kilometres alone.

Tadej Pogačar’s teammate Rafal Majka won the last time the race visited Cauterets in 2015. The stage may come too early for a GC battle this year, so expect a climber to win from a breakaway in similar style to Majka’s victory. Arka-Samsic's Warren Barguil could be a surprise favourite on a stage such as this.

STAGE NINE: SAINT-LÉONARD-DE-NOBLAT - PUY DE DǑME 184 km 

After much speculation, it was finally confirmed in October that the iconic Puy de Dôme mountain would be returning to the French grand tour in 2023 for the first time since 1988.

The 1,465 metre dormant volcano, located in the heart of the Massif Central will provide a horrific test of strength and endurance at the end of stage nine. It may also perhaps provide the first major general classification showdown. At 13.3 kilometres in length, with an average gradient of 7.7% it’s a climb that Vingegaard and Pogačar will both want to win on to add to their already glittering palmares.

In 1964, the final climb was the site of a legendary duel between five time winner Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor. Eddy Merckx was also punched there in 1975 by a spectator tired of the Belgian's dominance. 

Whoever has their arms in the air celebrating victory on stage nine will firmly write their name into cycling and Tour de France folklore. 

STAGE 14: ANNEMASSE - MORZINE LES PORTES DU SOLEIL 152 km 

Stage 14 has all the makings of a savage day on the bike with a consistently up and down parcours . 

There is a grand total of 4,200 metres of elevation stacked within the 152 kilometre stage. The day includes six climbs, which includes the gruelling Col de la Ramaz before the brutal Col de Joux Plane, followed by the fast and furious descent into Morzine. 

Due to the technicalities of the descent, any time gap at the top of the climb could be devastating, as only the bravest of descenders would dare to force a gap on the downhill run into Morzine. 

With stage 15 and another summit finish to come, will the riders at the sharp end of the general classification be willing to sacrifice everything with such a tough day still to come?

STAGE 15: LES GETS - MONT BLANC 180 km 

A gruelling Alpine weekend draws to a close with a 180 kilometre long test which concludes on the slopes of Mont Blanc. 

The ride through the Haute-Savoie includes the trio of the Col de la Forclaz, the Croix Fry and the Col des Aravis. With that demanding trio out of the way, it’s onto the slopes of the final climb which begins with the 11% Côte des Amerands. As the riders crest the Amerands the road goes sharply upwards with sections touching 17% according to the organisers. 

Either way, it’s one for the pure climbers once again and will inevitably provide a GC showdown. 

STAGE 17: SAINT GERVAIS-MONT BLANC - COURCHEVEL 166 km 

The high mountains continue on stage 17 with the mighty Col de la Loze on the menu. It’s arguably the Queen Stage of the 2023 edition with the Cormet de Roselend, the Col des Saisies and the Col de la Loze all playing a major role in proceedings. 

With its inconsistent gradients and sections touching 20%, the 2,304 metre Col de la Loze is a beyond fearsome climb which is enough to strike fear into even the most talented of climbers. 

The 2020 Tour included a summit finish at the top of the climb. Miguel Ángel López took the stage honours that day and another South American, Richard Carapaz, came unstuck on the slopes of the Loze after a gruelling day in the breakaway. 

The Souvenir Henri Desgrange , awarded to the first person over the peak of the Tour, is at the top of the climb, and is a fitting prize to go with the stage win for whoever crosses the line first at Courchevel. 

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Tom joined Cycling Weekly in early 2022 and his news stories, rider interviews and features appear both online and in the magazine. 

He has reported from some of professional cycling's biggest races and events including the Tour de France and the recent Glasgow World Championships. He has also covered races elsewhere across the world and interviewed some of the sport's top riders. 

When not writing news scoops from the WorldTour, or covering stories from elsewhere in the domestic professional scene, he reports on goings on at bike shops up and down the UK, where he is based when not out on the road at races. He has also appeared on the Radio Cycling podcast. 

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