Hey Fans, Stop Getting in the Way of Pro Cyclists—and Ruining the Sport We Love
Last Sunday, on Stage 2 of La Vuelta a España, everything was going according to plan for Mathias Vacek.
After placing second in the individual time trial of Stage 1, the Lidl-Trek rider was just two seconds behind the leader, American Brandon McNulty of UAE Team Emirates. With bonus seconds up for grabs, he had his eyes set on taking the red leader’s jersey. Wout van Aert of Visma-Lease a Bike was close behind, but Vacek had a real shot.
But then, on the Alto da Batalha climb, it all unraveled rather quickly, thanks to a fan. Crowds had swarmed too close to the road, and Vacek collided with spectators standing where they shouldn’t have been. The crash almost cost him the White Jersey as the best young rider, and while he managed to hop back on, close a 45-second gap, and finish safely, he was understandably frustrated. “It’s a bit annoying that some people just don’t care and don’t give riders space,” he said after the stage.
These stories are too common yet always mind-blowing. Why would anyone endanger the very athletes they came to cheer on?
Cycling offers fans unmatched access to riders—a rare privilege in sports. But this closeness, while thrilling, can quickly turn a race from excitement to disaster.
Remember the infamous “Opi-Omi” incident from the 2021 Tour de France? A spectator holding a cardboard sign that read “Allez Opi-Omi” stepped too far into the road, causing Tony Martin to hit the sign and crash, which in turn led to a massive pile-up of riders. The crash was so bad that it made headlines worldwide (even my mother, who knows nothing about cycling, heard about it). At least one rider, Jasha Sütterlin of Team DSM, was forced to abandon due to injuries, and Martin, who retired from pro cycling later that year, cited safety issues like that crash as a major reason. The woman fled the scene but later turned herself in, clearly shaken by the havoc she had caused.
But that crazy crash and Vacek’s fall at la Vuelta aren’t isolated cases either. In 2024 alone, we’ve seen a disturbing number of instances where fan behavior spoiled the race for some. In Paris-Roubaix, a woman threw a cap at Mathieu van der Poel’s wheel, and at the Tour of Flanders, he underwent abuse again when a beer was hurled at him by a fan. Then, later in the spring, cycling phenom Tadej Pogačar was physically grabbed by an old man during a stage of the Giro d’Italia, an EF Education-EasyPost rider was almost taken out by a fan’s phone during the Tour, followed by a drunk spectator who threw potato chips at Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard as they climbed on Stage 14.
Imagine having to dodge beer cans, grabby hands, or flying fried food while you are grinding up some horrendous climb to earn a living. It’s a wonder more riders don’t suffer from more serious injuries as a result or why reckless spectators aren’t shoved aside by the likes of Pogačar and Van der Poel more often.
So what is it? Why are these unruly fans causing crashes? Maybe they want to be part of the action. Some might just get caught up in the excitement or had one to many beers, while others may act out of a desire for attention. I guess.
Then there’s ignorance—some people simply don’t understand how fast and fragile the racing dynamic is. They might not realize how easily a small distraction or interference can lead to crashes or even end a career.
True fans understand and respect the sport, the athletes, and the unique culture of cycling. They know that a rider’s safety and performance are on the line in every race. But the people who throw beer cans, wave flags in riders’ faces, or cause crashes with cardboard signs? They seem more like reckless thrill-seekers than genuine supporters of the sport.
Real fans don’t want to be part of the story—they want to support the riders and celebrate the sport. They’re spectators, sure, but calling them “fans” feels like a stretch.
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