Former pro rider and current commentator for France Télévisions Thomas Voeckler has been suspended for one stage from the Tour de France along with his motorcycle driver Joël Chary for hindering race leader Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) on the Col de la Loze.
The pair were also fined 500 Swiss Francs for the incident which came on stage 17 just before the summit of the hors category Col de la Loze, the highest of the 2023 Tour de France, with 8.4km to go.
Voeckler's motorbike stalled near the steepest pitch, a 24% grade, and blocked the race commissaire's car that was driving in front of the maillot jaune.
The result was momentary chaos as the crowds swarmed the incident. The car was soon able to move aside to allow riders through, but the mess held up riders behind including Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ).
Vingegaard's lead was unthreatened by the incident, and after the stage he had extended his lead to 7:35 over Tadej Pogačar.
"It was definitely crazy, there was a lot of people - at one point I had to stand still because the car - that was unfortunate - but I guess that's what can happen when you put 20% gradients in the end of the Tour," Vingegaard said after the stage.
It's the second time of this Tour de France that motorbikes have interfered with the race on a major climb. On stage 14, a photographer's motorbike got hemmed in by spectators and prevented an attack from Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) on the Col de Joux Plane. That driver and photographer also received a fine and suspension.
The mayhem hardly reached the level of that of the Mont Ventoux in 2016 when a motorbike stopped suddenly and race leader Chris Froome, Richie Porte and Bauke Mollema crashed into it. Froome, needing a new bike, ran up the Mont Ventoux on foot until he could get a spare from neutral service.
.@ThibautPinot stopped on Loze by moto carnage 😭 @LeTour @GroupamaFDJ #TourdeFrance 🎥 @cottydale pic.twitter.com/EqDTxCnFcJJuly 19, 2023
