Tadej Pogaฤar and Jonas Vingegaard experienced a bizarre and unsettling incident during stage 14 of the Tour de France when a spectator threw a handful of crisps at them. The culprit, dubbed ‘chips guy’ by Pogaฤar, was seen tossing the crisps at the race leader before targeting Vingegaard as they raced towards the Pla dโAdet finish.
Despite efforts from the CPA and race organisers to maintain respect for the riders, instances of disruptive behaviour have been on the rise. On Sunday, another fan nearly caused a serious accident when his shoe almost went into Pogaฤarโs wheel after stumbling while running alongside the riders. Another conscientious fan intervened when a spectator cut between Pogaฤar and the race director’s car, delivering a kick to prevent further disruption.
Speaking on the second rest day, Pogaฤar shared his thoughts on the incident. “The ‘chips guy’ crossed the line, this was over the limit. That wasn’t nice to experience,โ he said. โAt first I thought he was cheering and the chips went flying. Then I saw the video of what he did to me and then to Jonas. It was just really, really stupid.”
The fan was quickly arrested and reportedly spent the night in a French jail to sober up. Released on Sunday, the fan avoided charges from the riders and their teams. However, the CPA president, Adam Hansen, confirmed to Cyclingnews that the French UNCP rider association would pursue legal action on behalf of the CPA.
“The CPA will take legal action against this guy with pleasure due to what he did to both Pogacar and Vingegaard. This is disrespectful and will not be tolerated,โ Hansen stated on social media. โWe have information that the Gendarmerie have already found and arrested the man who did this act and spent the last night in jail.โ
Hansen extended his gratitude to the Gendarmerie for their swift response, emphasising the need for responsible behaviour from fans. “We thank the Gendarmerie for their fast and great work, and this is a sign not to do this to the cyclist. Please be responsible and respect the riders.”