Giro d'Italia Fans Who Disrupted Peloton Tracked Down by Police

UPDATE: The two fans who disrupted Thursday’s stage 6 got the attention they were looking for — just not the good kind.

Italian police identified the men, aged 19 and 20, after footage of the incident went viral. Local media reported that one of them had a criminal record for robbery.

Both were cited for endangering public safety and banned from the remainder of the Giro.

The police action came after the pair of roadside fans were captured on the Giro’s live broadcast stepping into the peloton and reaching out to touch riders as the bunch pedaled through a traffic circle.

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.

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