When Animals Attack at the Tour de France

In a stage of the 1929 Tour de France, cyclists cross a herd of cows (Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)
In a stage of the 1929 Tour de France, cyclists cross a herd of cows (Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)
Tour de France
In a stage of the 1929 Tour de France, cyclists cross a herd of cows. (Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)

 

While this year’s Tour de France competitors wind and weave their way through the Pyrenees and Alps, they’ll be fighting off more than just exhaustion, cramping, and even potential death. A real threat to riders in recent history has been interference by wandering farm animals in the mountainous stages. Llamas can be particularly problematic, as you can see from the fan-shot Facebook image.

Llamas on Tour de France Course
(Joel Adages/Facebook)

But llamas are only the tip of the iceberg. Back in 2010, sheep made an untimely cameo, stopping the action but not causing any apparent injuries (save for a few bruised egos, we’re sure).

For more on how animals have fared during the various stages of the Tour de France, click here. To follow the action live, click here.

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