Just moments before the sprint finish of Stage 17 of the 2025 Tour de France in Valence, a dramatic scene unfolded when a CRS officer tackled an amateur cyclist attempting to cross the finish line ahead of the approaching peloton, as reported by BFM TV.
The incident occurred only minutes before Jonathan Milan claimed victory, narrowly beating Jordi Meeus. According to AFP photographers on site, the man, wearing a black helmet and a Decathlon, AG2R La Mondiale jersey, tried to breach the race route but was forcefully intercepted by a CRS officer, who brought him to the ground before also falling himself.
The episode, not broadcast on television, took place just before the lead riders arrived, as the police escort vehicle was clearing the road. Tour official Stéphane Boury, who previously tackled a pro-Palestinian protester during Stage 11 in Toulouse, was also spotted assisting.
Organisers ASO have yet to comment. The incident did not affect the race outcome, with Milan winning a fragmented sprint after a crash disrupted the peloton near the final kilometer.
Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that French cyclist Lenny Martinez potentially using a controversial and unofficial maneuver known as the «sticky bottle» technique.
