FRENCH police have arrested the woman believed to be responsible for one of the biggest crashes in Tour de France history.
The suspect, who hasn't been identified, was taken into custody today in Brittany, north-west France after going on the run for three days.
Footage of the mammoth crash, involving over 30 riders, shows a woman grinning while standing on the edge of the road facing the TV cameras with her back to the race.
As if standing on the road wasn't implausibly stupid enough, she's also seen holding a large sign and extending it into the path, before predictably clipping a cyclist and sparking the carnage.
Her sign read 'Allez Opi-Omi!', which roughly translates to 'Come on Grandad-Granny!', in a mixture of French and German.
German cyclist Tony Martin was first to go down after colliding with the sign, before an entangled mess of tyres, bike chains, knees and elbows developed behind him.
A fan just caused a MASSIVE crash at the very beginning of the Tour De France 😬 pic.twitter.com/6q5TwQRBdU
— Blake Harms (@wxblakeharms) June 26, 2021
Multiple riders were injured during the crash, and one even had to pull out of the entire event as a result.
The suspect could face stiff punishment for the accident and prosecutors have opened a criminal enquiry for "deliberately violating safety regulations and so causing injuries that might prevent someone working for up to three months".
This is an indictable offence in France, punishable with up to a year in prison and fine of around €15,000.
Deputy race director of the Tour de France, Pierre-Yves Thouault, called the woman responsible for the crash "insane".
"This is unacceptable behaviour. There are safety rules to follow. Spectators don't cross the road. They don't take selfies," he said.
"Frankly, the attitude of her was insane. The show is for riders, not for spectators who want to be on TV."
See More: Crash, Tour De France
