18/06/2024

"Pogacar said ‘please don’t do it, because it’s an old man” - No charges to be pressed against fan who pushed Tadej Pogacar at Giro d'Italia

Whilst Tadej Pogacar's sixth stage win of the 2024 Giro d'Italia was another stunning display of the Slovenian's dominance, there was a moment on controversy as the Maglia Rosa was grabbed by a fan at the roadside on the final climb.

Having just attacked from the general classification group, Pogacar was ascending the slopes of Monte Grappa when a man ran over to the UAE Team Emirates leader and pushed him on the lower back. Although surely without malice and just wanting to help his favourite rider, this could have proved incredibly dangerous and Pogacar responded with visible frustration as he verbally lambasted the fan whilst, waving his arms angrily.

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There was some talk that the fan in question could see criminal charges pressed as a result. According to the rider's union CPA boss, Adam Hansen however, this won't be happening on the request of Pogacar himself. “The CPA looked into pressing charges against the Italian but Pogacar said ‘please don’t do it, because it’s an old man,” Hansen told Velo. “Because Pogacar said no, my personal opinion is that we should follow that. We shouldn’t push charges onto a person when riders don’t want to do it.”

Although no charges will be pressed on this occasion, Hansen has again urged supporters who flock in their numbers to the roadside to support the peloton to keep themselves at a safe distance from the riders. “The beauty of the sport is that they can be so close, but on the other hand they have to respect that,” he concludes. “We just have to show a sign to the other spectators, the fans, that they have to leave the cyclists alone, because that is what the cyclists want.”

Sadly this isn't the only such incident in recent months either, with a woman throwing a cap at Mathieu van der Poel's wheels during Paris-Roubaix and Filippo Ganna being struck by a selfie taking fan whilst starting his individual time-trial at the Giro d'Italia.