Tour De France Cyclists Stage Protest for Safer Conditions After Fan Caused Crash

Tour de France riders abruptly stopped riding for about a minute in the fourth stage Tuesday as an act of protest against unsafe conditions.

The protest comes days after a fan struck a rider with a sign, causing several others to topple.

Incidents have marred the first three days of action, leading riders to work in solidarity to ask for safer conditions.   

After the protest, riders went about 10 kilometers into the stage at a slow rate of speed to further underline their displeasure.

"Following the crashes during the third stage of the Tour de France, the riders have been discussing how they wish to proceed to show their dissatisfaction with safety measures in place and demand their concerns are taken seriously," the riders' union said in a statement.

"Their frustration about foreseeable and preventable action is enormous."

Several drivers were injured during Stage 1 when the woman caused the pile-up. The Tour de France has said it plans to sue the unnamed woman, who has fled France and has been unable to be located by authorities.

There have been other issues of safety, including cyclists being bunched up on narrow roadways, which led to a crash in Monday's third stage.

The riders have asked the Tour to look into instituting the "three km rule," which calls for timing to be taken three kilometers ahead of the finish line to ensure driver safety.