"Following the crashes during the third stage of the Tour de France, the riders have been discussing how they wish to proceed to show their dissatisfaction with safety measures in place and demand their concerns are taken seriously," the rider’s union said in a statement.
Police in France said they have arrested the woman whose cardboard fansign pose caused a massive pile-up at the Tour de France race last June 26.
Video footage showed that the woman was leaning over the road, holding up a cardboard sign, and facing the cameras.
German cyclist Tony Martin was at the head of the pack when he rode into the sign and was knocked off balance, causing a chain collision.
According to CNN, it took almost 25 kilometers for the peloton to regroup fully, during which several injuries were reported by both cyclists and spectators.
The French police quickly issued a search for the spectator who fled the scene saying they intend to charge her with “unintentional short-term injury through a manifestly deliberate breach of a duty of safety or care".
On Wednesday, news reports reported that she was in custody.
However, it is unclear how she was identified or arrested.
Reuters writes that the woman turned herself in but AP News reports that she was arrested by France’s gendarmes who had tracked her down.
However, her interruption was only the first in a series of pile-up marring the first three days of racing that left riders bruised and angry, and team officials fuming.
One kilometer into the fourth stage, the leading Tour de France riders stopped the race for a minute of silent protest for safer racing conditions.
"Following the crashes during the third stage of the Tour de France, the riders have been discussing how they wish to proceed to show their dissatisfaction with safety measures in place and demand their concerns are taken seriously," the rider’s union said in a statement.
The official statement by Tour de France called for rider safety to be respected and for spectators to avoid risking "everything for a photo or to get on television”.
As of writing, tournament officials have not issued a statement regarding the rider’s demand for safer measures.
The tournament continues until stage 21 on July 18.
Tags: #TourdeFrance, #cycling, #roadsafety, #cyclingaccidents