Europe 1 with AFP 4:32 p.m., December 09, 2021

The young woman who had involuntarily caused a massive fall of runners by waving a sign for her grandparents in June during the Tour de France, was sentenced Thursday to a fine of 1,200 euros.

The spectator was not present during the pronouncement of the judgment.

A piece of cardboard and a lot of recklessness: the young woman who had involuntarily caused a massive fall of runners by waving a sign for her grandparents in June during the Tour de France, was fined Thursday of 1,200 euros.

During her trial on October 14 before the Brest criminal court, the prosecution requested a suspended four-month prison sentence against this 31-year-old woman, who then appeared trembling and full of guilt.

On Thursday, however, she was not present during the delivery of the judgment.

Guilty of "endangering others" and "unintentional injuries"

Found guilty of "endangering others" and "unintentional injuries", she was also ordered to pay a symbolic euro to the National Union of Professional Cyclists (UNCP), civil party. "We are satisfied with the verdict", reacted by telephone to AFP Romuald Palao, lawyer for the UNCP and the international organization Professional Cyclists Associates (CPA). On the other hand, the latter's constitution as a civil party was ruled inadmissible by the court.

"We knew that there was a difficulty for the CPA to become a civil party because of its statutes", explained Me Palao, estimating that the most important was that "the person is sanctioned", not "as such" , but for "that it serves for the others, for the future and the next races", he estimated.

"The idea is to tend towards zero falls and all the more falls caused by third parties," he added.

"From the moment when there will be inappropriate behaviors which will have consequences, systematically the representatives of the riders will initiate a procedure or join a procedure".

Several runners forced to retire after the crash

On June 26, in the town of Sizun (Finistère), 45 km from the finish of the first stage of the Tour, part of Brest, this resident of Finistère brandished a sign while encroaching on the road, her back to the peloton.

"Go opi-omi!"

(grandpa-mamy in German, her grandmother being of German origin) had she written in large letters on a piece of cardboard to the address of her grandparents, residing in Paris and unconditional fans of the Grande Boucle.

Several runners, launched at high speed, could not avoid it.

The German Tony Martin, the first to fall, had involved in his fall many other cyclists.

Several riders had been forced to retire, including the German Jasha Sütterlin (DSM) and the Spaniard Marc Soler (Movistar).

Images that have been around the world

The images of the fall of the runners had been around the world, triggering a strong media interest while the young woman remained untraceable.

It was only four days after the events that she went to the Landerneau gendarmerie, responsible for the investigation, no longer supporting the media pressure.

At her trial, her voice trembling and barely audible, the thirty-something had admitted her guilt.

"It was really so not voluntary", had whispered the young woman presented as fragile but speaking with ease.

Present at the hearing Thursday, his lawyer Julien Bradmetz refused as during the hearing on October 14 to speak to the media.

He had not requested the release of his client but a suspended fine.