Cycling

Tour de France riders abruptly stopped riding for about a minute in the fourth stage Tuesday as an act of protest against unsafe conditions.

The protest comes days after a fan struck a rider with a sign, causing several others to topple.

Incidents have marred the first three days of action, leading riders to work in solidarity to ask for safer conditions.   

After the protest, riders went about 10 kilometers into the stage at a slow rate of speed to further underline their displeasure.

"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 riders' union said in a statement.

"Their frustration about foreseeable and preventable action is enormous."

Several drivers were injured during Stage 1 when the woman caused the pile-up. The Tour de France has said it plans to sue the unnamed woman, who has fled France and has been unable to be located by authorities.

There have been other issues of safety, including cyclists being bunched up on narrow roadways, which led to a crash in Monday's third stage.

The riders have asked the Tour to look into instituting the "three km rule," which calls for timing to be taken three kilometers ahead of the finish line to ensure driver safety.

An overzealous fan caused much of the field to crash during the first stage of the 2021 Tour de France on Saturday.

Daniel McMahon of Insider provided an overhead look at the chaos, which marred the world's most famous bike race:

Julien Lamoureux of Noovo Info tweeted a different angle of the wreck, which showed a fan who stuck their sign into the road was responsible for the domino effect that followed:

Per TMZ Sports, former cyclist Sean Kelly, who won the Tour de France points classification four times, provided the following analysis regarding the crash:

"The guys at the front went through a very tight section between the islands in the middle of the road and it was a dangerous one for those further back in the peloton. This is Brittany—you have a lot of road furniture and small villages. It is very technical for the first stage of the Tour de France."

After the crash occurred, the race's official Twitter account posted about the importance of fans not getting in the way of cyclists:

Despite the disarray caused by the pileup, Stage 1 of the 108th edition of the Tour continued as scheduled. 

French cyclist Julian Alaphilippe won, landing the yellow jersey to signify his status as the race leader.

Luke Armstrong, who is the son of former professional cyclist Lance Armstrong, has been accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in 2018.

Claire Osborn of the Austin American-Statesman reported the news, citing an arrest affidavit that was issued on April 1. Armstrong, who is 21 years old, could face up to 20 years in prison based on the second-degree felony charge of sexual assault of a child.

Armstrong's attorney, Randy Leavitt, released a statement saying the interaction was "consensual":

A complete review of the facts will confirm what has been alleged absolutely did not occur and a proper and thorough legal process will exonerate Luke.

What occurred three years ago in high school was not a crime and not a sexual assault. What it was was a consensual relationship then and it continued to be consensual between the two young people with both ultimately going their separate ways. These charges should never have been filed and certainly not three years later.

According to the affidavit, the woman reported the incident in 2020.

She said she asked Armstrong for a ride home after she got drunk at a party but told police she did not remember the ride with him and then woke up inside his house, where she said he sexually assaulted her.

The woman also informed police she told six people about the alleged assault at the time, and four of them said in interviews with authorities that they remembered she "described the sex as being non-consensual."

Two of them said the woman had nightmares stemming from the alleged assault that lasted for years, while one said it was clear the girl was intoxicated when communicating with her that night in 2018.

American cyclist Quinn Simmons has been suspended by the Trek-Segafredo team after a social media post in support of Donald Trump on Wednesday that the team deemed to be "divisive, incendiary and detrimental to the team." 

The Associated Press explained the Twitter interaction that led to Simmons' suspension:

"The 19-year-old rider reacted Wednesday when Dutch journalist Jose Been posted on Twitter that she hoped for her American friends that 'this horrible presidency ends for you,' adding 'if you follow me and support Trump, you can go.'

"Simmons replied by writing 'Bye' with an emoji of a dark-skinned hand waving.

"When a separate account replied 'Apparently a Trumper,' Simmons countered, 'That's right' with a United States flag symbol."

In its full statement, Trek-Segafredo said Williams was suspended indefinitely:

Simmons said that he did not intend for the use of the black hand emoji to be a racist gesture.

"To those who found the color of the emoji racist, I can promise that I did not mean for it to be interpreted that way," he said. "I would like to apologize to everyone who found this offensive as I strongly stand against racism in any form. To anyone who disagrees with me politically, that is fine. I won't hate you for it. I only ask the same."

Trek-Segafredo added that the young cyclist "was not suspended because of his political views. He was suspended for engaging in conversation on Twitter in a way that we felt was conduct unbefitting a Trek athlete."

The team still remains committed to Simmons' future as a cyclist, though. Trek-Segafredo manager Luca Guercilena said he hopes Simmons "can use this opportunity to grow as a person and make a positive contribution for a better future for cycling."

Tadej Pogacar became the youngest winner of the Tour de France since World War II as he crossed the finish line in Paris on Sunday with a time of 87 hours, 20 minutes, five seconds.

Pogacar, who turns 22 on Monday, became the first Slovenian to win the 23-day, 2,164-mile race and will take home €500,000 of the €2,293,000 pot, per The Telegraph. With the win, he unseated Egan Bernal, who was 22 when he won last year, and is the second-youngest winner in the race's 117-year history. Henri Cornet, who was the champion in 1904, was 19.

"I think I'm dreaming," Pogacar said after his win on Sunday, per Jonny Long of Cycling Weekly. "I don't know what to say."

Primoz Roglic, the runner-up who conceded the overall lead on Saturday and finished 59 seconds behind Pgacar, will head home with €200,000. Roglic, who is also from Slovenia, was considered the favorite to win, especially after Bernal dropped out when he fell more than seven minutes behind Roglic in Stage 15. 

Pogacar wore the yellow jersey that identified him as the race leader as he cruised into Paris after a near two-minute time-trial victory over Roglic on the final climb in Stage 20 on Saturday. 

"Roglic was the best rider of the Tour, with a really good team. They did a really fantastic job, they raced super good," Pogacar said. "I have so much respect for him; he's a good friend of mine. I feel his loss because he had to lose the yellow jersey on the last day; it's really difficult. I know how he feels."

Here are the final standings and a breakdown of purse distribution for general classification: 

1. Tadej Pogacar, 87:20:05, €500,000

2. Primoz Roglic. +0:59, €200,000

3. Richie Porte, +3:30, €100,000

4. Mikel Landa, +5:58 - €70,000

5. Enric Mas, +6:07 - €50,000

6. Miguel Angel Lopez, +6:47, €23,000

7. Tom Dumoulin, +7:48, €11,500

8. Rigoberto Uran, +8:02, €7,600

9. Adam Yates, +9:25, €4,500

10. Damiano Caruso, +14:03, €3,800

View the full results here.

Cyclists who finish between 11th and 19th receive between 1,100 and 3,000 euros. Finishers from Nos. 20-160 receive 1,000.

There are other ways to earn a share of the pot, including leading the tour in points for €25,000, leading through the mountains for €25,000 and the best young rider receiving €20,000. The winner also earns €500 for every day he spent at the top, and carriers of other jerseys win €300. 

Through each stage, money is awarded through sprints, and top finishers in each stage or time trial also earn a monetary prize. 

After a dominating performance, Pogacar claimed €500,000 for finishing first, €25,000 for winning the King of the Mountains award and €20,000 as the top young rider for a total of $645,263.10. 

Tadej Pogacar did the work Saturday. All that was left was a victory cigar and a ride to history. 

The 21-year-old rookie completed the unthinkable Sunday, rocking the yellow jacket as he crossed the line as the 2020 Tour de France winner. Primoz Roglic finished second and Richie Porte took third place. 

Pogacar will earn a €500,000 prize (roughly $592,000) for winning the sport's grand prize. 

Pogacar's victory is shocking because of his inexperience, but more so thanks to the way he pulled it off. 

Primoz Roglic came into the Stage 20 time trial having been atop the standings for more than half the race and carrying a sizable lead over Pogacar. A time-trial maven, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Roglic would keep or even extend his lead and have Sunday's glory all to himself.

Then something strange happened: Pogacar dominated the trial while Roglic scuffled in the climbing portion, handing the race over to the UAE Team Emirates racer.

"It hurt my eyes how Primoz got more and more into difficulty," Roglic's teammate Wout van Aert said, per CyclingNews. "It didn't look as smooth as usual, he missed that cadence.

"And before the start, it all looked so good. But it is a combination of Pogacar that rode really fantastic while Primoz did not reach his normal level that ensures this result. We went all out every day. We gave everything and did everything perfectly. We were ready to celebrate, so to speak."

Pogacar's victory could very well usher in a new era of dominance. The Slovenian was already viewed as one of racing's most promising young names, with victories in the Tour of California and Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana already under his belt.

UAE Team Emirates also built a team around their young rider, capturing their first general classification victory in cycling's biggest race. Team Ineos (formerly Team Sky) had won seven of the last eight Tour de France events.

Tadej Pogacar's first Tour de France stage in the yellow jersey will be the most memorable day of his young cycling career.

The 21-year-old Slovenian used an incredible individual time trial in Stage 20 to claim first place heading into the final stage. Stage 21 is typically a day to celebrate the winner, which is exactly what it will be for the UAE Team Emirates rider.

Not only does Pogacar hold the overall lead, but he also sits in first place in the King of the Mountains and best young rider competitions.

Best sprinter is the only classification that has not been finalized yet. Sam Bennett can secure the green jersey win over Peter Sagan with a sprint down the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Sunday afternoon.

Tour de France Stage 21 Information

Start Time: 9:30 a.m. ET

TV: NBCSN

Live Stream: NBCSports.com and NBC Sports app

Preview

Pogacar made up a 57-second deficit to Primoz Roglic in the time trial up La Planche des Belles Filles to earn the yellow jersey going into the final stage.

The 21-year-old acknowledged after Stage 20 that his goal was just to finish on the podium, but he achieved much more than that, per Cycling News' Daniel Ostanek: "I think I'm dreaming. I don't know what to say. It's unbelievable. My dream was just to be on the Tour de France [podium]. Now the dream is true. I'm here, and now there's only the last stage. This is unbelievable."

Pogacar's efforts Saturday were so dominant that he opened up a 59-second advantage on Roglic, who produced the fifth-best time trial performance.

If the two Slovenians were close enough in time going into Sunday, they may have raced to the finish line for the yellow jersey. But with close to a minute between them and a pack finish expected on the Champs-Elysees, Pogacar will get to celebrate the overall win at the start of the route.

The field travelled from La Planche des Belles Filles on the eastern side of France to Mantes-la-Jolie to start the route into Paris.

Once the peloton reaches the French capital, it will take eight laps around the Champs-Elysees. The top sprinters and their teams should take over once the race hits Paris.

Taking first on the Champs-Elysees is one of the most prestigious honors for the sprinters, and there should be plenty of attacks as the laps go on for riders to try to create separation.

Bennett holds a 319-264 lead in the points standings over Sagan. Barring a catastrophic mistake, Bennett should walk to the podium to collect the final green jersey after the race concludes.

Caleb Ewan, who is third-to-last in the overall classification after a few brutal days in the mountains, won the final stage in Paris a year ago.

In the past four years, four cyclists have crossed the finish line at the Champs-Elysees in first place.

Ewan, Bennett and Sagan are among the favorites to take the stage win. Matteo Trentin, Bryan Coquard and Wout Van Aert should also be in the mix as they look to finish off solid sprinting performances over the past three weeks.

If Coquard wins Stage 21, he would be the first Frenchman to win a stage in Paris since Jean-Patrick Nazon in 2003.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from LeTour.fr.

Tadej Pogacar won Stage 20 of the 2020 Tour de France on Saturday to overtake Primoz Roglic for the yellow jersey as the overall leader heading into Sunday's final stage.

Pogacar posted a time of 55 minutes and 55 seconds to finish atop the podium in the only individual time trial of this year's competition. Here's a look at the top five finishers from Saturday's solo trip from Lure to La Planche des Belles Filles:

• 1. Tadej Pogacar
• 2. Tom Dumoulin (+1:21)
• 3. Richie Porte (+1:21)
• 4. Wout van Aert (+1:31)
• 5. Primoz Roglic (+1:56)

Meanwhile, Roglic saw his 57-second advantage turn into a 59-second deficit ahead of Sunday's final journey to the Champs-Elysees in Paris, typically a ceremonial stage with little movement in the standings.

Stage 20 was the final serious test of the Tour, and it was a legitimate challenge, especially given the lack of individual competition earlier in the event. It was a 36.2-kilometer time trial with an 8.5 percent average gradient and a 500-meter climb over the final 6.2 kilometers, per Joe Lindsey of Bicycling.

Roglic had given full credit to his Team Jumbo-Visma teammates before the time trial for putting him in position to control his own destiny heading into the final stages.

"It was another great day for us," Roglic told reporters Friday. "... I've emphasized [my teammates' work] before, but I can't do that enough. They were fantastic and although I am the one who's wearing it, this yellow jersey really belongs to all of us."

The 30-year-old Slovenian has been in possession of the yellow jersey since Stage 9, but countryman Pogacar and Colombian rider Miguel Angel Lopez stayed within striking distance, which elevated the pressure heading into Saturday.

Pogacar, 21, rode a tremendous time trial, beating the entire field by over a minute, and it became clear during the final climb that he was going to take over the yellow jersey.

Now, barring a major mishap, he'll ride into Paris on Sunday as the Tour's first champion from Slovenia.

Primoz Roglic faces one more difficult defense of the yellow jersey in Stage 20 of the Tour de France before he cab cruise into Paris as the overall race winner. 

The Slovenian will be the final racer on course for Saturday's individual time trial, which concludes with a climb up La Planche des Belles Filles. 

Roglic holds a 57-second advantage over his fellow Slovenian Tadej Pogacar in the overall classification. Miguel Angel Lopez sits one minute and 27 seconds back in third place. 

The current leader of the Tour de France does not have to win Stage 20, but he does need a strong showing to avoid losing time and potentially first place to two other riders in search of their first Tour de France victory.

Tour de France Stage 20 Information

Start Time: 7 a.m. ET

TV: NBCSN 

Live Stream: NBCSports.com and NBC Sports app

Preview

Roglic will be the last of 144 cyclists to leave the starting gate in Lure, France for the lone individual time trial of this year's edition of the Tour de France. 

The starting order is determined by the general classification, which means the sprinters that struggled throughout the mountain stages will be among the first riders to hit the course. 

The bulk of the route is flat, but that is not the part of the map that has come into focus. 

La Planche des Belles Filles debuted in the Tour de France in 2012 and has since made three appearances on the route, including Stage 6 of the 2019 event.

The Alpine climb was not been featured this late in the event, and since mountain time trials are rare, it has not hosted this unique part of the race before. 

Since the time trial finishes on a steep incline, Roglic, Pogacar and other top racers should have the advantage to win the stage over time trial specialists. 

Pogacar leaves the starting ramp two minutes prior to Roglic and has to outrace the leader by 58 seconds to claim the overall lead going into the 21st and final stage. 

The UAE Team Emirates cyclist admitted the time trial course suits his strengths, per VeloNews' Fred Dreier. 

“For tomorrow’s TT I did the recon and if I’m on a good day it’s a course that suits me well,” Pogacar said. “It’s the same hard effort for everybody so tactics won’t come into it too much.”

Pogacar has tried to remain on Roglic's wheel for the majority of the mountain stages, but he dropped a crucial 15 seconds during Stage 17.

The second-placed Slovenian should be more inclined to be aggressive up the climb since he has to make up just under a minute.

Roglic can't take his ride up La Planche des Belles Filles easily, but he may be able to conserve energy at the bottom of the climb to deal with its steeper sections better. 

Lopez has an outside shot of making up his deficit on Roglic, but at minimum, he has to be considered an option to win the stage since he finished first in Stage 17, which featured the highest elevation of the tour. 

The rider outside the top three that could steal the stage win is Richard Carapaz, who leads Pogacar by two points in the King of the Mountains competition.

The winner of the stage will receive 10 points in the hunt for the polka dot jersey. That could motivate Carapaz to go all out on the climb to take the stage win and beat out Pogacar while he worries about the yellow jersey capture. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from LeTour.Fr. 

Belgian cyclist Remco Evenepoel was hospitalized Saturday after crashing and falling off a bridge during the 2020 Il Lombardia race in Lombardy, Italy.

Matt Warwick of BBC Sport reported Evenepoel was part of the lead group when the crash occurred. Video of the incident was posted on Twitter:

His team, Deceuninck-QuickStep, posted a statement about his status:

Evenepoel, 20, is one of the sport's rising stars. His wins during the 2020 season include the Volta ao Algarve, Tour de Pologne, Vuelta a Burgos and Vuelta a San Juan.

His teammate, Fabio Jakobsen of the Netherlands, suffered serious injuries during last week's Tour de Pologne that led to reconstructive surgery on his face.

Jakob Fuglsang of Denmark won this year's Il Lombardia, a one-stage race. He's best known for capturing a silver medal in the men's cycling road race at the 2016 Summer Olympics.