Take Stage 2 on Sunday in England, for instance.
A spectator -- apparently standing with his foot over the white line -- got absolutely clobbered by a passing cyclist. The rider was fortunate enough not to crash; the fate of the fan is unclear.
Or take Stage 3 on Monday, from Cambridge to London.
Luxembourg cyclist and 2010 Tour de France champion Andy Schleck was involved in a group crash on that leg that, according to The Guardian website, happened "after a spectator in Essex stepped into the road to take photographs." The paper says Schleck's team isn't blaming the fan, but Schleck had to withdraw from the race regardless:
It's unclear if any of these fans were attempting a so-called selfie, but some cyclists are speaking out about the practice, complaining of its risks.
American rider Tejay Van Garderen took to Twitter to decry what he called "a dangerous mix of vanity and stupidity":
German competitor Marcel Kittel, who won Stage 4 in France on Tuesday, also complained earlier in the week to The Telegraph about fans "in the middle of the road taking pictures," and Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara told the paper that "police should do something about it ... because our health is in danger."
Standing I the middle of the road with you back turned while 200 cyclists come at you, just to take a selfie. #think #TDF2014
— Tejay van Garderen (@tejay_van) July 6, 2014
Cycling is a dangerous enough sport as it is; just ask defending Tour de France champion Chris Froome, who fell during Stage 4 after a collision with another rider. He was fortunate enough to be able to return to action:
Spectators might want to start thinking twice before endangering both themselves and the competitors they're cheering.
(H/t to For the Win, Bleacher Report, The Guardian and The Telegraph for the story)
