Though authorities have protected the culprit’s identity, they have revealed she is a 31-year-old woman who resides near Landerneau.
She had caused the pile-up after her placard had collided with Tony Martin of Team Jumbo-Visma, who, with nowhere to go, tumbled to the ground along with almost the entire peloton.
Several riders sustained significant injuries as a result of the spectator’s actions and, according to France Bleu, she has since admitted to feeling “ashamed” as well as “distressed by the repercussions in the media”.
French authorities have charged the woman with two offences: ‘endangering others through a manifestly deliberate violation of a duty of prudence or safety’ and ‘involuntarily causing injuries that lead to an inability to work for up to three months’.
A court in Brest will now judge the case in October, with a potential fine of up to €1,500 (A$2,373) pending their decision.
Riders affected by the incident could yet launch their own lawsuits against the culprit, with Movistar’s Marc Soler still seething at her actions.
“I don’t know what to do, I’m thinking of taking the spectator to court, because that’s an entire Tour canned and I feel very angry,” Soler said.
“…it wasn’t just a race incident; it was because of a spectator who obviously doesn’t like cycling.
“All that preparation has gone into the bin.”
The Tour de France continues tonight and you can catch all the action on SBS and SBS On Demand from 8:30pm (AEST), with the SKODA Tour Tracker app commencing from 9:00pm (AEST).
