Intruder breaches Tour de France final stretch, apprehended by law enforcement
In a bizarre turn of events at the Tour de France, a man from Montélimar, south of Valence, attempted to cycle across the finish line of stage 17 as a possible stunt. The incident, which occurred when the bunch was less than 2km from the finish line, caused an interruption to the race.
The man, dressed in a Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale jersey, managed to infiltrate the competition area shortly before the peloton arrived. He attempted to cross the finish line as if part of the race, but was brought to the ground by a member of the Compagnies Republicaines de Securite (CRS), French riot police.
The specific details about how the man got on the course remain unclear, and it appears the man was injured during the incident. Local French media reported the news, but the Tour's organizers, ASO, did not comment on the matter.
Unlike the previous incident on stage 11, which involved a pro-Palestine protestor near the finish line, the man's motives for the action are not yet clear. However, it is known that he had three prior convictions for unlawfully entering sports venues and refused to comply with authorities, assaulting a police officer who intervened.
The man was sentenced to an eight-month suspended prison sentence, banned from sports venues for five years, and ordered to pay damages to the police officer involved. Social media and eyewitness accounts suggest the act may have been an audacious or misguided stunt, possibly to mimic a professional cyclist’s victory moment. However, the primary official motive recognized by prosecutors was the disruption of the event rather than a political or promotional statement.
Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) won the bunch sprint during the same event, but the incident cast a shadow over his victory. This incident marks the second time in a week that the Tour de France has faced people getting on the finish of the race course, underscoring the need for increased security measures.
The man's actions, evidently a stunt, occurred during the Tour de France, involving an unauthorized entry into a sports venue. Despite donning a jersey of a professional cycling team, his attempt to cross the finish line disrupted the race.
