New rules in wake of Stage 9 incident

Following the crash caused by a French TV camera car in Stage 9, which saw Juan Antonio Flecha and Johnny Hoogerland escape serious injury by sheer good fortune alone, the ASO has announced new rules aimed at preventing a similar incident from re-occuring. Just announced on the Tour's live ticker, they are:

Hoogerland required 33
stitches after being thrown
into a barbed wire fence in
the Stage 9 crash.

Cars wishing to follow the race must remain two minutes behind, but this will be varied according to the nature of the road.


At any one time, cars following directly behind the peloton will be limited to no more than eight, of which four will be those of Tour organisers and four media vehicles.


Media vehicles must contain two accredited journalists with press passes in order to ensure one is concentrating on driving safely and not also taking photographs, notes etc.


All vehicles will now only be permitted to overtake a breakaway group one at a time and only with permission from race organisers.