Yes there have been some nasty crashes. That team car driver needs to be banned from the rest of the tour.
He did get expelled this afternoon. Via CyclingFan:
The ASO made a statement after the Tour de France stage, about the incident. “Following the accident which occurred at the 167 kilometers mark … involving the riders Juan Antonio Flecha and Johnny Hoogerland, vehicle Euro Media numbered 800 has been excluded from the Tour de France.”
Tour de France race director, Christian Prudhomme was furious about the unforgettable incident and explained his feelings about the day.
“I announced on Radio Tour, which is the channel everyone should be listening to, that all cars should pull to the side and give priority to the team cars,” said Prudhomme.
“The car previously received the order from the race direction not to pass and let the Europcar team manager get through to the breakaway to give Thomas Voeckler the bottle he was asking for.
“They did not take that order into account … and caused the crash of both riders. This behavior is intolerable.”
Via VeloNation, the riders' team managers are weighing their options:
The driver is the second to be thrown off the Tour, with a motorbike pilot sent home after a stage four incident involving Nicki Sørensen (Saxo Bank SunGard).
For now, both Sky Procycling and Vacansoleil are delaying their comments. Dave Brailsford said the team wanted to wait. “After the stage everyone's emotional now. We'll look at the situation tomorrow and we'll take the matter forward then.”
Vacansoleil said in a statement that it too would think over things. “After the horrible accident of Johnny Hoogerland and Juan Antonio Flecha (Team Sky) in the 9th stage of the Tour de France the managment of Vacansoleil-DCM will discuss what has happened tomorrow with the parties involved. No further comments will be made today so that they are not based on emotions,” it stated.
Hoogland himself seemed pretty sanguine about it, though- at least at first. Via Cyclism’Actu (roughly translated from the French over there):
"We can be happy to be alive, it's horrible. I don't want to blame anyone, because no one ever does things like this on purpose. Those who drove the car must already feel terribly guilty, and I'm sure they'll apologize. In any case, Juan Antonio [Flecha, other the cyclist who got whacked by the car] came me to apologize. This shouldn't happen, but there's always a risk. "
That comment may have been before it sunk in & before he wept at the polka dot ceremony, however - so heartbreaking, luv2ski.
And so infuriating!