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ASO Won't Press Charges Against Woman Who Caused Crash at Tour de France
July 1, 2021
The Amaury Sport Organisation, which runs the Tour de France, has decided not to press charges against the woman who caused a major crash during the opening stage of this year's race on Saturday.
CBS News' Elaine Cobbe reported Thursday the unnamed woman, who handed herself in to French police this week after initially fleeing the scene, had remained in custody as of Wednesday and was set to face a charge of involuntarily causing injury through reckless behavior, which carried a potential $1,770 fine.
The woman was showing a sign written in French and German to television cameras that translated to "Go Grandma and Grandpa" that she held partially across the road. German rider Tony Martin, at the front of the peloton, hit the sign and fell to the ground, leading to a massive pileup of riders, per CNN's Pierre Bairin and Lorraine Poupon.
Spanish rider Marc Soler dropped out of the Tour after suffering fractures in both arms in the crash.
It's been a crash-filled start to this year's event, including several crashes during the latter part of Stage 3, which led the competitors to hold a protest by stopping and getting off their bikes for a minute early in Stage 4 on Tuesday.
The Cyclistes Professionnels Associes, the riders' union, said it was an effort by the competitors to make their concerns about safety heard.
"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 CPA said in a statement. "Their frustration about foreseeable and preventable action is enormous."
The Tour de France has continued without interruption this week. Mark Cavendish of Great Britain won Thursday's Stage 6 after previously winning Stage 4.
Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel continues to hold the overall leader's yellow jersey. The race runs through July 18.