POLICE and security were forced to tackle a ‘prankster’ who invaded the track at the Tour de France, just moments before the stage’s conclusion.
The end of stage 17 almost ended in calamity when a spectator leapt over the boardings with his bike and tried to ride across the finish line.
An individual dressed in cycling gear broke on to the Tour de France track during stage 17[/caption]
Security and staff tried to knock the man off his bike by the finish line[/caption]
A police officer was eventually able to tackle him[/caption]
The man and officer both fell to the ground[/caption]
The ‘prankster’ appeared to be injured[/caption]
He was dragged off the road to avoid calamity with the race following close behind[/caption]
The unknown individual was dressed in full gear so as to look like a team rider, but was immediately spotted by onlookers.
The man was wearing a Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale jersey.
Images released of the incident show that the man managed to cross the finish line before he was tackled by a police offer and fell off his bike and to the ground.
He was then quickly removed from the track in order to clear a pathway for the fast-approaching leaders who were due to follow soon after.
SunSport have contacted the Tour de France for comment.
It’s not the first time that there have been issues on the track at this year’s Tour either.
Security had to leap in front of a pro-Palestine protestor who had made their way onto the track during stage 11 of the race.
The track-invader sprinted down the race course with his hands in the air just 25 metres from the finish line of the stage last Wednesday, with riders cycling past as it happened.
A pro-palestine protestor interrupted stage 11 of the Tour de France[/caption]
The protestor was slammed into the boardings[/caption]
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The protestor was wearing a t-shirt that read: “Israel out of the Tour.”
He also held a keffiyeh, a black-and-white checkered headdress and pro-Palestine symbol.
The individual was tackled, thrust against the boardings and hauled off the road by security.
Other fan incidents at this year’s Tour de France have included an Ineos team car hitting into a spectator that stepped onto the road during the 14th stage of the race.
Fortunately today’s incident didn’t cause any crashes.
However, pouring rain in the final 30km of the 60.4km stage from Bollene to Valence did cause a crash of its own.
With just 1km left to go a mass crash took out Tim Merlier and Biniam Girmay, opening the door for Jonathan Milan to claim his second stage victory of this year’s Tour.
Speaking after the win, Milan said: “This is a really fantastic team victory and I have to thank them from the bottom of my heart.
“I survived with the help of my team-mates. Without this, I would not be here. They delivered me in the best position [for the finish].”
An Ineos car hit a spectator during stage 14 of the tour[/caption]
Jonathan Milan was the winner of Stage 17[/caption]
He wound up victorious following a mass crash within 1km of the finish line[/caption]
