"Don’t run next to the riders, even if you’re a banana!" - Tour organizers warn fans to refrain from reckless behaviour
Cycling
Tour de France is a special event. For riders and fans alike, it can often be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of the race. That is why many of the spectators are willing to go the extra mile to grab the attention of TV cameras. And to step their experience up a level.
As much is fine, but when your actions begin to influence the race - let alone endanger cyclists - that's where a line is being crossed.
One such close-to-be incident occured as soon as the race's second stage breakaway hit first categorized climb. A fan in banana costume started to sprint alongside the three escapees, which has earned him a couple hostile looks and a slap by rolled newspapers by fellow spectator. Hopefully enough to prevent this individual from repeating such dangerous stunts.
Sharing a clip of the incident on social media, the Tour organisers made their first plea of the race for roadside spectators to be mindful when displaying their enthusiasm for the world’s biggest bike race and its participants. "Don’t run next to the riders, even if you’re a banana!" the Tour’s social media account advised.
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Later in the stage, the organisers also warned fans not to bring flares to the roadside, after a smoke bomb was set off as the peloton climbed to the top of Montjuïc during the finishing circuits in Barcelona.
🚫 No, just no. Please don't use flares on roadside!
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 5, 2026
🚫 Juste non. S'il vous plait, n'utilisez pas de fumigènes au bord de la route !#TDF2026 pic.twitter.com/fEyuYoIU7m
"It’s a mixed bag, really," Alex Dowsett, working at the Tour as a performance engineer for XDS Astana, told road.cc. "If it’s not impacting the front, it’s okay. There needs to be a balance. It’s kind of what professional cycling is synonymous with, though."
"It’s part of the charm, I think. If you start putting barriers up like Formula One, cycling’s going to lose what makes it special. It’s like everything in life, a balance just has to be had. But I think it’s right that the organisers are exercising caution on fans to placate any enthusiasm that might happen later in the race."
Have social media made things worse?
Dowsett is concerned that the fans' behaviour has changed over the years: "Perhaps in the day and age of social media and virality on social media, I would question whether the fans’ motivation is to create rather than be a part of the race."
"Back in the day, it was probably about perhaps getting on TV, but being part of a race, just you get a snapshot of riders whizzing by, that’s cycling. So if you run with them for a bit, you’re getting a longer snapshot."
"But if fans are doing it actually not for the race, and they’re doing it for their own ambitions of appearing on screen somewhere, then that’s the balance going the wrong way."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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