Over-exuberant fans have been warned not to use smoke bombs or to run alongside riders at the Tour de France after the first two stages of racing, during which flares were used on the roadside.
The closing kilometres of stage two saw the peloton riding through thick smoke after a number of fans ignited flares on the climb of the Côte d'Outreau.
Ahead of stage three, race organiser ASO used X to post: "For your own safety and that of the riders, do not use smoke bombs and do not run alongside the riders!"
The open arena in which cycling takes place frequently poses headaches for race organisers, unable to police spectators along routes that stretch, in the case of Sunday's Tour stage, for more than 200km.
In March, Mathieu van der Poel, the winner of Sunday's Tour stage and the current race leader, was hit in the face by a water bottle thrown by a spectator at Paris-Roubaix.
Stage two also saw a close call when the peloton nearly collided with a spectator who had stepped out into the road to take a photo of the fast-approaching bunch.
"Get out of the way man, get out of the way!" cried Rob Hatch during TNT Sports' commentary of the stage.
The spectator jumped out of the way in time – 'encouraged' by the waving arm of an Israel-Premier Tech domestique – but the incident again highlighted the risk riders face when spectators stray into the road.
A woman was fined €1,200 for causing a huge crash during the opening stage of the 2021 race by waving a cardboard sign in the path of riders.
Tony Martin, riding at the front of the peloton, hit the sign, and the domino effect saw dozens of riders hit the road in one of the worst crashes at the race in recent memory. Spanish rider Marc Soler broke both arms in the crash.
This year, with 19 stages remaining, riders at the Tour de France will hope spectators heed the warning of the race's organisers.
