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It's also another French, er, unfortunate incident this summer. There have been a lot - rampant strikes, rubbish piling up in the streets, poor security and organisation at the Euros and the Eiffel Tower closed for safety reasons.
I think the country is still technically under emergency rule after the Paris attacks in November. The security focus was meant to move to the Tour after the Euros - when you see how close the crowds were up Ventoux today it's hard to believe that.
On Bastille day as well...
Fox-
I think the country is still technically under emergency rule after the Paris attacks
Will end just after the TdF apparently..
Cycling, even TdF, is small fry (I hope) on target lists. Maybe Champs Elysees..
This is 'just' about crowd control and logistics. I do think this is a tipping point (for the sport) though. When it can affect results (and therefore sponsorship) shit will be gotten together very quickly..
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in reference to this point, this article provides a good overview http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36563002
hms
fredtc
Whichever way you look at it, it'll be a shit storm from someone's perspective..
I'm struggling to think of something as chaotic* in previous races but really the incident is born of its times:
More spectators
More spectators 'interacting with the race' - to get on TV, selfies etc etc
More motorbikes
More "safety" - counterintuitive but the shortening of the stage forced thousands of fans 6km down the mountain, clogging the last km to Chalet Reynard
From what I can gather, all teams** accept the decision. That says a lot.
*Guerini on Alpe d'Huez springs to mind...
** Valverde is probably moaning somewhere.