She describes her recklessness as “Stupidity”. The spectator who caused a massive fall during the first stage of the Tour de France, which left several injured in the peloton, will appear in court on October 14, the Brest prosecutor’s office said in a statement, explaining that ‘she had been “Presented to the Brest prosecutor’s office at the end of his police custody”.
His custody ended in the morning, announced a little earlier the commander of the Finistère gendarmerie group, Colonel Nicolas Duvinage.
The young woman, aged 30 and from northern Finistère, is being prosecuted for “Endangering others by manifestly deliberate violation of a particular obligation of prudence or safety”, also for “Unintentional injuries resulting in incapacity for work not exceeding three months by willful breach of a particular obligation of prudence or safety”, recalls Mr. Miansoni in his press release.
The young woman, no longer supporting the media pressure around this affair, had gone with her companion, Wednesday at midday, to the Landerneau gendarmerie, in charge of the investigation. In the process, she was taken into police custody for “Endangering others by willful breach of an obligation of prudence and safety”, also for “Unintentional injuries with disability not exceeding three months”.
“Feeling ashamed”
Thursday, during a press conference, the public prosecutor of Brest, Camille Miansoni, had declared that his police custody had been prolonged in order, in particular, to continue the investigations on “Medico-legal aspects”, some injured runners having continued the race. The spectator stated, during her hearing, “From a feeling of shame, of fear in the face of the consequences of his act”, Mr Miansoni had reported.
On June 26, during the first stage of the Tour, the spectator waved a sign with her back to the direction of the race and was struck by the peloton, causing many riders to fall 45 kilometers from the finish. Several cyclists were injured and had to abandon the event as a result of the accident. A call for witnesses was launched in the evening to find her.
? Oh the huge drop in the peloton! A banner makes Tony Martin fall and behind, it’s the domino effect! From… https://t.co/GwIuq7DAiM
On the woman’s sign we could read “Come on Opi-Omi! “, which means in German “Come on grandpa-grandma!” “. It was about“A loving message to the attention of his grandparents”, had explained Mr. Miansoni, specifying that the grandmother of the spectator was of German origin.
The young woman would not have immediately realized the scope of the accident and would have needed time to “Digest what she’s been through”, she told investigators. She herself was slightly injured in the collision.
The Tour de France, which had filed a complaint against it, announced on Thursday that it had withdrawn in order to“Calm things down”. Another complaint was lodged by the international association Professional Cyclists Associates, according to Mr. Miansoni.
“There has always been carelessness on the part of spectators during the Tour”, relativized Joël Pelier, former professional runner. “In all sports, there are dangers and then the particularity of cycling is that it is a sport which is practiced on public roads”, added the one who took part in four Tours de France between 1985 and 1989.
Since the departure from Brest on June 26, the edition of the Tour de France 2021 has been marked by several spectacular falls.
Our selection of articles on the 2021 Tour de France