This guy can spend a night in jail for all I care. #TDF2024
VIDEO: Watch as idiot with crisp packet almost derails Tadej Pogacar's stage winning attack on stage 14 of Tour de France
CyclingSunday, 14 July 2024 at 11:10
Cycling is one of the best sports in the world because of how accessible it is to supporters. You don't have to pay to go and see your heroes, you can simply go the roadside for free and offer your support. Sadly, there seem to always be some who take things too far which was again the case on stage 14 of the 2024 Tour de France.
As the Maillot Jaune wearing Tadej Pogacar attacked clear of his general classification rivals Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel towards a stunning stage win, one that now sees the UAE Team Emirates leader nearly two minutes clear in the fight for Grand Tour victory, things were very nearly derailed in the most unnecessary of ways.
Whilst Pogacar was riding clear, one fan got a little too close for comfort to the Maillot Jaune on the Pla d'Adet, seemingly waving a crisp packet in the dace of the UAE Team Emirates leader, forcing Pogacar to swerve out of the way to avoid a head on collision. As you can imagine, the reaction online has not been kind to the man at the roadside. "This guy can spend a night in jail for all I care," writes Lanterne Rouge analyst Benji Naesen via his official social media, whilst Sanny Rudravajhala of the On Yer Bike Podcast tweeted "WTF IS THIS?! Some bloke just chucked a bag of crisps into Tadej Pogacar’s face at 2km to go."
This is also not the first time that Pogacar has been the victim of 'fans' eagerness to get close to him. At the most recent Giro d'Italia, 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.
On that occasion, no charges were pressed at the behest of Pogacar himself, as revealed by CPA chief Adam Hansen. “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.”
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