Worst fan interference

[tcklyde]

I guess there will be little disagreement that the fan who punched Eddy Merckx in the 1975 Tour may top the occasions of worst fan interference. All the same, I thought of this question last night while watching my old tapes of the 1999 Tour (yes, I am a dork).

I had completely forgotten two things:

1. That Giuseppe Guerini won the stage up Alp d'Huez that year, and
2. That an absolutely idiotic fan nearly ruined that win by standing in the middle of the road to take a picture, knocking Guerini down.

What other horrible fan interderence have you all seen or remember?

(PS- one other thought: Was Fernando Escartin the model for the animated cyclists in the Triplets of Belleville? Seems like it!)

 

[Virenque]

For me, last year`s Giro penultimate stage! It was mountain stage with one km finnish climb with a lot of spectators and most of climb was without railings! First 20 or 25 riders came up without problems, but riders behind them nearly can`t move on because spectators were walking all over the road! I remember Sijmens and Trampusch (29. and 30.) who were fighting and pushing them away if they wanted to finnish the stage and some spectators were even complaining about that! There were almost no policmen to help the riders to finnish the stage civilized! Just imagine how anoying must be that, after 16 days of racing and hard mountain stage behind them! What a shame for the organisers!!

 

[Olasnah]

I recall that in 2003 Lance's bar end was caught by a fan's shirt or hat or something, causing him to fall and and then have some trouble on his bike pedals, but I don't know what the result was of that particular stage.

 

[Espada9]

I recall that in 2003 Lance's bar end was caught by a fan's shirt or hat or something, causing him to fall and and then have some trouble on his bike pedals, but I don't know what the result was of that particular stage.

I would have to say that was Lances fault, riding too close to the crowd is asking for disaster.

94’ tour, stage 2??? French police taking a photo of the bunch sprint sent Wilfred Nelison and Laurant Jalabert to the pavement causing both riders MASSIVE injuries, ending their seasons.
Funny thing is Jalabert came back the next year a changed rider and dominated the Vuelta and most of the 95’ season.

 

[tcklyde]

I recall that in 2003 Lance's bar end was caught by a fan's shirt or hat or something, causing him to fall and and then have some trouble on his bike pedals, but I don't know what the result was of that particular stage.

LA has said that it was his fault. And he won the stage. (Luz-Ardiden)

 

[future racer???]

sorry guys last year ironmans takes the cake, someone from the crowd ran out and tackeled a runner on their final stage.

 

[Conniebiker]

sorry guys last year ironmans takes the cake, someone from the crowd ran out and tackeled a runner on their final stage.

I guess its good mountain bike XC has almost no spectators around here

 

[cuervo]

I guess its good mountain bike XC has almost no spectators around here

But if you are lucky you can be tackled by a bear, or at least, by a goat

 

[Shreklookalike]

I recall that in 2003 Lance's bar end was caught by a fan's shirt or hat or something, causing him to fall and and then have some trouble on his bike pedals, but I don't know what the result was of that particular stage.

The item in question was the fan's handbag.