Riders learn to deal with dangers on and off road

NIMES, France - Lance Armstrong has touched thousands of people, and just as many have touched him.

The Tour de France is a unique event that allows fans to get up close and personal with cycling's biggest stars. As riders climb mountains, gasping for breath and legs weary, spectators often run alongside, patting them on their backs with encouragement.

But the passion can get out of hand, and occasional accidents are virtually impossible to prevent, despite police who keep back the millions of fans who attend for free along more than 1,800 miles.

Suddenly, someone jumps out waving a giant flag in front of the bike, then moves it away in a split second, like a matador with a bull. Others throw water, some shout praise - or insults.

If mountain climbs, rain, crashes with other riders and road hazards like cobblestones weren't hard enough, cyclists also have to worry about fans knocking them over.

"You can't ride next to the crowd, I personally learned that," Armstrong said. "There's so many people, the speeds are higher, the people aren't all educated about bike racing. Riders hit spectators all the time. It's dangerous."

In last year's Tour, the Texan's handlebars got snagged on a fan's plastic bag on an ascent to Luz Ardiden. He tumbled to the ground - dragging Spaniard Iban Mayo with him - but he got back on his bike and won the stage.

It's still a bad memory, although he concedes he was to blame for the accident because he was too close to the fans.

"Every time I see one, I'm just like: 'Oh, no, stay away from me,' " the five-time champion said.

This year, in Saturday's 13th stage, Armstrong came perilously close to another fall. Riding ahead of the pack, he and talented Italian Ivan Basso were sucked into a vortex of near-hysterical fans.

One fan waved a giant American flag close to Armstrong's face. Another slapped him on the back, and his bike wobbled. Then came a home stretch packed with screaming Basque fans, pumping their fists and surging forward. The gap to pass was frighteningly narrow.

"I looked at him and he looked at me," Armstrong recalled, referring to Basso. They thought, " 'Man it's unbelievable that we made it through there without getting killed.' "

bernard papon/associated pressSupporters can sometimes get too close to the action, as this group did to Lance Armstrong during the the 12th stage of the Tour de France.