Spectators cause multiple riders to fall during Stage 15 of the Tour de France

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Spectators cause multiple riders to fall during Stage 15 of the Tour de France

The Tour de France peloton was involved in its second mass crash of the stage when several riders fell after colliding with spectators on the side of the road.

The spectator in question appeared to stick out his arm as the peloton, led by Jumbo Visma, passed through a narrow gap in the road with 128 km remaining in stage 15. Sepp Kuss (Jumbo Visma) got caught up and crashed, leaving many of the following riders with nowhere to go.

Biniam Girmay (Intermarché Circus Wanty), Kevin Vermaquet (Team dsm Firmenich), Lars van den Bergh (Groupama FDJ), Eoghan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers), Pascal Enkhoorn ( Lot Doustony) and others were involved in the fall.

Nathan Van Hooydonk of Jumbo Visma was hit hard to the ground after making contact with Kuss. The Belgian rider sat on the ground for a while, but got up again and was treated for multiple wounds to his back, according to the race medical report.

Immediately after the crash, the peloton, which had previously been within 40 seconds of the lead pack, slowed down as part of a self-neutralization process, allowing the riders affected by the crash to ride again.

The riders involved in the crash returned 10km later, widening the gap to the breakaway to over 4 minutes.

On stage 15 of the Tour de France, there were no abandonments due to the crash, and all riders continued on to Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc, where Wout Poels took the stage win alone. However, the crash caused many riders to suffer injuries on the rest day. Also in the second half of the stage, breaking riders Krisz Neilands (Israel Premier Tech) and Chris Hamilton (dsm-Filmenig) crashed on the descent. According to Israel Premier Tech, Neilands suffered only "superficial scratches" in the crash and is ready to continue the stage after a rest day.

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