Fan who caused rider pile-up at Tour de France given €1,200 fine

The Breton woman who caused a massive rider pile-up earlier this year at the Tour de France has been given a €1,200 fine after a hearing at the Brest criminal court today (December 9).

The 31-year-old from Finistère shot to infamy in June after she was pictured holding a homemade, cardboard sign reading “Allez Opi-Omi” slightly too far into the peloton path of the first stage of the famous cycling race.

The words opi and omi are German for ‘grandpa and granny’, with the sign a message for her German-speaking grandparents, who are fans of the race.

The cyclists were unable to avoid the sign, causing several to crash, which led to the biggest pile-up in Tour de France history. Nine cyclists suffered considerable injury, including German cyclist Jasha Sütterlin, who was forced to abandon the race.

In addition to the fine, she is also required to pay a symbolic €1 to the Union nationale des cyclistes professionnels (UNCP), the civil party in the case.

In October, prosecutors requested she be given a four-month suspended prison sentence.

She has recognised the “dangerous nature of her behaviour" and "expressed her regrets".

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