The prosecution had requested a punishment of four months in prison with suspension of sentence against the spectator, charged with “endangering others” and “unintentional injury.”
“It really wasn’t voluntary. I am ashamed of this situation, I love sport, I know all the deprivations that this implies in the life of an athlete, ”the young woman explained to the authorities at the time.
It all happened on June 26, in the commune of Sizun (Finisterre), 45 km from the arrival of the first stage of the Tour, which left Brest. The spectator entered the road with a banner, turning her back to the platoon of athletes that was approaching at high speed.
On the cardboard he had written in large letters a message for his grandparents, who live in Paris and are great fans of the Grande Boucle. “Allez opi-omi!” (Come on grandpa-granny in German, since his grandmother is of German origin), was the legend he chose.
His actions caused several cyclists to end up on the ground, with some injuries that did not allow them to finish the race. The first to fall, and to drag down several of his competitors, was the German Tony Martin. Among the casualties of the event were also the German Jasha Sütterlin (DSM) and the Spanish Marc Soler (Movistar).
The decision of the Brest Correctional Court generated a stir in the Gallic country. The team titled the news as “A simple fine for the spectator that caused a massive crash in the Tour de France.”
It is worth remembering that at the time the images went viral and traveled the entire planet, in addition to the fact that for several days the whereabouts of the young woman was a mystery, who four days after the events went to the Landerneau gendarmerie, in charge of the investigation, not withstanding the media pressure.
The lawyer Romuald Palao, a lawyer for the Professional Association of Cyclists, said that the important thing about this verdict is that it serves as a warning for future reckless behavior: “The idea is to tend to zero falls caused by third parties. From the moment in which inappropriate behavior occurs that has consequences, the representatives of the runners will systematically initiate the procedures to report it ”.
Source From: Ambito
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