Soudal Fast-Step rider Jan Hirt has suffered damaged entrance enamel in an incident with followers forward of the primary stage of the Tour de France.
The 33-year-old collided with a fan with a backpack as he went to signal on earlier than the race in Florence, in accordance with his crew supervisor Patrick Lefevere. Hirt was cleared to start out the stage and can be monitored by his crew’s medical employees all through the day.
Lefevere first revealed the incident on X, writing: “There [are] 100 guidelines for the crew however one with backpack made crashing Jan Hirt between the signings and the bus. 3 enamel damaged.”
A Soudal Fast-Step supply confirmed the damage to Biking Weekly, and stated the race begin was “badly organised”. The crew has not launched an official assertion.
Firstly of the day, metallic obstacles have been constructed across the crew paddock, which was initially managed by safety at its entrance. Followers in Florence have been rapidly capable of circumvent the measures, nevertheless, lifting the metallic obstacles or leaping over them to realize entry to the crew buses.
On the blended zone, an space devoted to press interviews, journalists struggled to achieve the riders, as spectators walked by means of the restricted space. Some members of the media reported the crowds, however have been informed by safety that there was nothing that could possibly be executed.
Biking Weekly was current within the crew paddock, and seen crowds as much as 4 individuals deep surrounding sure buses, notably Visma-Lease a Bike, the crew of defending champion Jonas Vingegaard, and world champion Mathieu van der Poel’s Alpecin-Deceuninck.
A video printed on the Cyclingnews Instagram web page confirmed one other Soudal Fast-Step rider colliding with an individual whereas attempting to cycle between the bus and the sign-on podium.
Hirt has come to the Tour de France to help his Soudal Fast-Step chief Remco Evenepoel, who’s concentrating on the yellow jersey on his race debut.
The Czech rider was given management duties himself on the Giro d’Italia earlier this 12 months, the place he completed eighth, 18 minutes and 5 seconds behind the winner, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Workforce Emirates).
The Tour de France began as we speak with a hilly stage between Florence and Rimini.
Hirt lined up for the stage as deliberate, regardless of having damaged enamel. He was pictured using behind the peloton within the opening hour.
