Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

news

Video: Spectator causes crash at race - by deliberately pulling down barriers

Man watching event on Reunion was unhappy it hadn't been stopped after earlier crash involving his son...

A spectator at a bike race on the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean deliberately pulled down barriers to cause a crash - reportedly because he was upset that the event had not been stopped following an earlier crash in which his son had been involved.

Video of the incident at today's Stage 1 of the Tour Cycliste Antenne Reunion in the French overseas department was shared on Twitter by local journalist Antoine Forestier.

He also tweeted a copy of a communique from race organisers who confirmed that the spectator, Jean-Bernard Boyer, a member of the Sainte-Marie Velo Club, had been fined 300 euro as a result of his actions, which they described as a "particularly serious event."

It happened as a breakaway group of 10 cyclists sprinted for the line with Mr Boyer, according to organisers, "deliberately pulled several barriers in front of these riders."

They continued: "This caused the fall of six riders, with the other four managing to avoid the barriers to reach the finish line, while the other riders were not able to reach the finish line after being diverted to the team parking." The stage was neutralised, with no classification produced.

Enzo Bernard of Happy Bikes, held responsible for the earlier "very serious crash" which had put Mr Boyer's son Jonathan out of the race as well as injuring a child watching the event, was expelled from the race and fined 130 euro.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

Add new comment

6 comments

Avatar
kitsunegari | 8 years ago
1 like

Absolutely bonkers, and so very very dangerous. Could have resulted in a lot of serious injuries.

Lets hope he gets dealt with properly, the French authorities are more likely to take a harder stance with this than UK ones would.

Avatar
peted76 | 8 years ago
0 likes

Wow! That's a major lapse of judgement... that's not right in the head, that fella needs help!

300 euro's is OUTRAGEOUS, I wonder if one of the people he caused to crash could prosecute him through the civil courts for that action?

Avatar
opignonlibre replied to peted76 | 8 years ago
3 likes
peted76 wrote:

Wow! That's a major lapse of judgement... that's not right in the head, that fella needs help!

300 euro's is OUTRAGEOUS, I wonder if one of the people he caused to crash could prosecute him through the civil courts for that action?

 

The 300€ fine is only the fine given by the organizer. The guy leaved the event in a police car. There is more to come from the justice system obviously.

Avatar
Dan S | 8 years ago
2 likes

300 Euros seems pretty light!

Avatar
Yorkshire wallet replied to Dan S | 8 years ago
3 likes
Dan S wrote:

300 Euros seems pretty light!

He should have used his car. £80 at the most.

Avatar
tritecommentbot | 8 years ago
8 likes

Nothing less than a massive punch in the face will suffice.

 

LIke this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph7RzCGg4Mo

 

Latest Comments