England’s three-stage run hosting the 2014 Tour de France has been nothing short of a huge success, except for the smartphone carrying crowd of selfie-snapping fans risking rider safety for a headshot alongside some of the world’s top cyclists.
The weekend’s festivities attracted some 2.5 million fans, but were marred on numerous occasions by spectators moving onto the road to snap photos as the quick and thick peloton rode by.
American BMC cyclist Tejay van Garderen was among those unhappy with the antics after suffering a knee injury in a collision with a spectator, describing selfie mentality as “a dangerous mix of vanity and stupidity.”
“Standing in the middle of the road with your back turned while 200 cyclists come at you, just to take a selfie. Think,” van Garderen tweeted on Sunday night.
“I love the crowds and thank you for your support. But please give us room. Gonna ice my knee now.”
The riders had it hard enough at the 2014 opening weekend without dodging blind, iPhone-wielding snapchatters, pedalling through a combined 391.5 km as they travelled from Leeds to Harrogate and then from York to Sheffield. Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas also had words for those ignoring the high-speed packs of cyclists.
“The worst thing is when people have got their back to the peloton taking selfies. There were a few. They don’t see us coming, they’re stood in the road and it’s dodgy. If you want to do that, stand on a wall or something,” he told the Telegraph.
Another rider, Lithuanian Ramunas Navardauskas, was reportedly so enraged he took swipes at locals that got in his path.
The Tour de France continues Monday evening Australian time in an 155km third stage from Cambridge to London.
