Chris Froome being spat at last year; one hopes his punching a fan doesn't lead to hostility towards him in the two weeks ahead.
The Tour de France is great for many reasons; over a century on the road it has built epic folklore on the backs of the men who have triumphed and struggled in the race.
The Irish have played their part; Shay Elliott blazing the emerald trail, Stephen Roche coming back from the dead to win, Sean Kelly owning the green jersey and this year Dan Martin riding so well and Sam Bennett refusing to yield to horrible crash injuries.
Nicolas Roche has played a great part in the race and will again. And Martin Earley, Paul Kimmage, Lawrence Roche and Mark Scanlon have also flown the flag; Earley winning a stage.
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But the race has witnessed some ugly scenes by the side of the road too.
Just last year Chris Froome was spat at and Alpe d’Huez in particular has seen a small minority of fans perhaps have too much to drink and get carried away cheering on their heroes and abusing those riders they don’t like.
A common problem in the race is the fans that have gotten carried away and run too close to the riders, some of whom have been knocked off their bikes.
But in that danger is also the beauty of the race. There are very few sports where fans can get so close to top athletes.
And cycling – thankfully – leads the way in that regard; those who love the sport being able to watch the race by the side of the road and see the riders and kit close-up at the start and finish areas.
Every now and again the lines will blur. The fans who love the sport - the vast, vast majority of whom want to celebrate the races and the riders and wish them no harm – get carried away and put the safety of the riders at risk.
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Yesterday on stage 8 of the Tour a fan dressed in Colombian supporters kit ran beside Nairo Quintana on the last climb and angered Froome who was right behind.
The Team Sky British rider lashed out – the heaviness of his contact with the fan’s head looking awful on TV.
Froome, nearing the end of a really long stage in a race he had prepared for all year, in the moment made the split second decision to lash out.
The fan clearly meant no harm and was shocked he was struck.
But in the moment it must be left to the riders to decide who is too close to and occasionally push back.
Froome’s sin was not that he raised his hand to the fan, but that he appeared to punch rather than push him and that he made contact so squarely and strongly.
One hopes his hitting out does not spark a backlash towards him from other spectators in the next two weeks.
After the stage, perhaps not realising how bad his actions looked on TV, Froome stood over what he had done; saying the fan in question was getting too close and had a flag that was coming very near to his wheels.
Later, no doubt having seen a lot of negative reaction on social media (even though a lot of fans backed him); Froome not only apologised to the fan on Twitter but did so in Spanish, and rightly so.
But when the controversy passes one contribution will linger; Froome’s insistence that fans need to stay back.
Those who run just shouldn’t do it.
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