https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39Re8XwxVvw
If the organisers were looking for a dramatic start to the Tour de France today then they certainly got it. Unfortunately it was for all the wrong reasons.
While the riders were out on track and probably formulating their strategies about how to finish the stage, the bus for the Orica-GreenEDGE team got stuck under the barrier at the stage finish line, forcing the organisers to move the finish line back to earlier in the stage.
Then they managed to move the bus and finish the stage as usual and while all this was happening, there was a massive crash involving quite a few of the riders, who may well have been confused about the mixed messages concerning what was going on up ahead (skip to 0:35 in the video below).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbaIiUFFnzw
Despite efforts to clean up the sport, there is still a cloud of suspicion over cycling and the Tour de France in particular and a cock-up like this was the last thing organisers needed… and on the very first day as well.
