‘Don’t Be Like This Guy’: Giro Organizers Blast Stupid Fan Who Reached Into Peloton

Not much happened midway through Thursday’s sleepy sprint stage 6 at the Giro d’Italia — until stupid roadside fans decided the peloton needed some help.

Helicopter images caught a group of rowdy spectators edging dangerously close to the speeding bunch as riders rolled through a traffic circle.

Two fans stepped into the roadway waving their arms, apparently trying to high-five riders in the middle of the race.

One spectator even reached directly into the pack and appeared to touch a rider.

Several riders immediately gestured angrily for the fans to move back.

No crashes were reported, and race organizers did not immediately indicate whether anyone had been identified or removed from the roadside.

The incident quickly drew a reaction from Giro organizers, who blasted the behavior across official social media channels.

“Respect the riders. Respect the race. Respect the #GirodItalia,” organizers posted.

“Fans, Tifosi. We love you on the roadside. We love your enthusiasm, we love that you cheer on the riders, we love that you dress like flamingos.

“But there’s a line not to cross. Don’t be like this guy.”

Cycling thrives on fan access unmatched in almost any major sport, but Thursday’s incident showed how things can go wrong.

Riders race within arm’s reach of spectators, and most fans know the unwritten rules of the sport and give the cyclists the room they need.

That closeness is what gives cycling and races like the Giro their unique atmosphere.

Though nothing happened Thursday, it’s fans doing stupid things like this, a moment of recklessness, that can turn catastrophic in professional cycling.