2004? I can place myself with where I was watching and I don’t think it was 2000, but who knows at this point
Oops… yeah 2004. 2000 was Barcelona.
The ‘terrorists’ hit groups of people. So even spectators, no matter how much they love cycling and that particular race, are also at risk. We’ve stopped going to concerts, mainly because of the crush of people, but also because of the fights and abhorrent behavior that is happening more often, and most of that is not being reported or hits the local, let alone national news.
But I sure DO hope that nothing happens and that pro and semi pro cycling can be incident free.
Can’t remember how many years ago now, but it was a local gravel race, and I came up over a roller into a jam of people and a tree laying across the road. The tree was a good sized tree too. Someone cut it down and it fell across the road, AND their neighbor was over fighting with the cuter because he was saying it was their tree! They were looking like it was coming to blows and one kept saying to his wife to ‘go get my damn gun!’. It was freaking crazy. The ‘owner’ of the tree was saying that everyone should stay where they were to be ‘witnesses’ to the crime. It took some riders a bit of time to get their bikes either over or under the tree and ride off. I just stood there watching the ‘wildlife’ and being glad the only thing I have to complain about with my neighbor are his kids playing 1-on-1 bball at midnight in their driveway. 
Yeah, after reading the Barry-Roubaix Reddit, my tree incident was intentional too. (Stupid nerf herders)
Pretty much the same area. Next year someone was siccing their huge dog on riders. Someone had mace and tried to use it. The owner supposedly started cussing and screaming at the riders. The cops were called, but they only leashed Cojo for a short time before they were back at it again. Out there, people had ‘trespassers will be shot’ signs and razor and barbed wire around their ‘compounds’. It was getting a little too bizarre for me. They cancelled that event, but I was thinking carrying a 22, or something larger, might come in handy. But then all the goobers would be out taking shots at riders)
Because it’s all for one, and one for me. I learned that early. That commenter obviously isn’t a bike racer.
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I always get very excited when I see good-guy fans grab the idiots doing stupid things. And I seem to recall officials in last year’s Vuelta taking a no-nonsense approach with the crowd on a stage or two. Would love to see more of that.
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The cops staffing the Vuelta are a pleasure to watch. Full body slams!
Sometimes a bit too enthusiastic… https://x.com/Laura_Meseguer/status/903305095936401408
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Well they’ve just fined the one who spat on MVP a while back so I doubt punishment for the bottle will be fast!
That was only 3 weeks ago.
Seemed like longer ago or was there another incident I’m remembering :-/
That one was 3 weeks ago, there have been multiple other incidents involving MVDP, beer, spitting, urine, apparently goes right back to his junior days. Not quite clear why he seems to attract so much hate from a small minority of fans other than being Dutch and winning a lot of races that have traditionally been dominated by Belgians.
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I’ve been wondering the same. You’d think that the French would love him since his grandfather was Poulidor.
I heard a interesting take on this (I think it was the Roadman podcast) where they talked about most people who watch cycling are like us, we do it, and follow it as our sport, however there are lots of places in the world where it’s like football, you watch it and follow it, and have teams you support, but you don’t actually play (or ride) and this can become a bit tribal, where the Dutch away team e.t.c and you want them to be be beaten by “your nations” riders
Just thought it was interesting, never thought about cycling in such a way
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Laissons les Français hors de ça s’il vous plaît. The dude is from Belgium.
I’ve seen that discussion on the GCN show.
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There was 4,362 total finishers at Barry this year. So the area has 4,362 people plus friends and those who didn’t finish. The town has to reap something from this plus the lead up to the race and destination for those who need to train.
People just amaze me.
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From that video, it wasn’t clear that it was intentional and the reddit post was clickbaity. And none of the other riders stopped!
I think it’s personal because nobody is throwing anything at other riders. People hated Froome and threw piss on him.
They love Pogi and cheered him more than MVDP when he entered the velodrome in 2nd place.
I forget where I read it, but someone was saying that some Belgians hate MVDP because he grew up in Belgium, still lives there, races all the biggest Belgian road and CX races, yet races as Dutch. So, some people take offense to that.
That part doesn’t make sense to me. Who wants Pogi to win everything he enters, both classics and grand tours? Certainly not me. That just makes it so boring. Why watch at that point?
On the other hand Mads Pedersen winning would have been the best outcome among the favorites. He certainly has the form, and played his cards well, but had poor luck. I was rooting for him.
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See Woods, Tiger…..didn’t matter how much he dominated, people always cheered and adored him.
They just go for the nice guy. They like Pogi. MVDP has always had a prickly side but I’ve never seen him be a true arseh0le. I’m thinking that it’s something specific with VDP but I don’t know what it is. Maybe because he’s been the chief rival of Belgium in cross (vs. WVA)?
The crowd at the velodrome is probably mostly French though. Why do they like Pogi better that they cheer less for the winner?
To be fair, he didn’t do himself any favors in the likeability department with this incident:
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