The Tour de France is our vicarious French vacation, and we’ve been watching it every year since 2017. I started following Julian Alaphilippe when he won the King of the Mountains in the 2018 Tour.

But one thing always bothered me, and that was how close some of the spectators were to the racers. Then, today, on the first stage of the 2021 Tour, a spectator caused a spectacular accident. I’ll put the YouTube below the fold, so it doesn’t mess up the main page.

This guy was trying to get his sign on television, had his back to the racers, and didn’t realize that he had his sign out into the race path. I’m wondering if he’s going to get in trouble with the law.

Monsieur Alaphilippe won today’s first stage, with a breakaway ascent in the last 2½ kilometers up a Category Three climb at the finish.