"Don’t do anything stupid" - Tour de France organisers plead with spectator ahead of week 3

As the 2025 Tour de France enters its most dramatic phase in the high mountains, race organizers are once again urging fans to act with responsibility and restraint. With iconic climbs like Mont Ventoux drawing thousands of spectators, the excitement often blurs the line between support and interference, something the Tour is trying to prevent before it’s too late.

The message this week is blunt and to the point: “Just don’t do anything stupid.” It’s a reminder aimed at the swelling crowds lining the roads, where even one lapse in judgment can endanger riders and derail the race.

Safety officials are stressing a handful of basic but essential rules: no touching the cyclists, no flares, no phones waved into the road, no stepping into the path of the race, and no flags obstructing visibility. All of these actions have caused problems in the past, from crashes prompted by selfies to hazardous low-visibility sections caused by smoke.

The warning comes with added urgency following a recent incident where a fan, poorly positioned, was run over by an INEOS team car. It underscored just how quickly things can go wrong when the public fails to keep a safe distance.

With Mont Ventoux on tap today and more high-altitude drama expected through the weekend, including a crowded finish in Paris, organisers are asking everyone to remember one thing: enthusiasm should never come at the expense of a rider’s safety.