The Tour de France was halted on Tuesday 18 miles into the 16th stage from Carcassonne to Bagneres-de-Luchon when police accidentally sprayed several riders with chemicals.
The chemicals, believed to be pepper spray and tear gas, were used by the police in an attempt to subdue a group of farmers who were protesting along the path of the prestigious race.
According to reports, one policeman didn’t account for the wind and sprayed himself as well.
The farmers, who threw bales of hay and drove tractors into the peloton’s path, were protesting four-time champion Chris Froome’s participation in the event. Froome used twice the permitted level of salbutamol in a win at the Spanish Vuelta and was cleared just before the Tour began.
Following the incident, riders were treated while the gas dispersed and the race resumed after about a 15-minute halt.
Holy crap. The tour de France is now basically stopped after some people sprayed pepper spray or so and pushed hay rolls on the street?!? #TDF2018 pic.twitter.com/m1r4cb62u9
— Daniel Freytag (@FRYTG) July 24, 2018
Unfortunately for riders on the Tour, chemicals aren’t the only hazard they’ve had to worry about …
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