TV helicopter blows heavy snow off trees onto riders at Provence | Video

The TV helicopter got a little too close in the final, creating blizzard-like conditions for Matthew Riccitello and Carlos Rodríguez

Windy and snowy conditions made for some very hard - and in one case, short - racing in France and Spain today, though the experience of some riders was made worse by the TV helicopter.

As Matthew Riccitello (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) and Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers) neared the summit finish of stage 2 at Tour de la Provence, on Montagne de Lure in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, they were pelted by snow blown off the trees.

The TV chopper got a little bit too close and, though the roads were clear, heavy snow was sitting on the trees, and the by roadside. The helicopter created blizzard-like conditions for the two riders; the snow being thrown in lumps from the trees and swirling around in the air.

However, it didn't stop the two leaders holding off the nearest chasers and sprinting it out for stage honours, with Riccitello taking it from his Spanish rival and also seizing the race leader's jersey.

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Conditions were even wilder over in Spain at Vuelta a la Región de Murcia, where the stage was halted and reduced to just 10km - though the result did not stand - due to high winds. Footage shared by the Unibet Rose Rockets team, below, shows multiple riders trying to get back onto the road after being blown into a field.

The racing was halted shortly after the main field left the start town of Fortuna and then went to the finish town, Santomera, for a 10km neutralised stage. "Times will not be taken, but there will be a stage winner and the jerseys will be awarded. So there will be an overall winner," the organisers said.

In the end, there was no stage winner - even though some of the riders sprinter it out - but stage 1 winner, Marc Soler (Movistar Team), was declared the overall victor of the two-stage race.

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