The Tour de France winner almost missed his race at the Olympics

Britain's Chris Froome, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, celebrates with a glass of champagne during the twenty-first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 113 kilometers (70.2 miles) with start in Chantilly and finish in Paris, France, Sunday, July 24, 2016. (Kenzo Tribouillard via AP Photo) — (Kenzo Tribouillard via AP Photo)

Journalists are never supposed to be part of the story.

Except when they are.

Great Britain’s Chris Froome, the defending and three-time champion of the Tour de France, was lined up for the start of Saturday’s 237.5-km road race when his name started being called over the loudspeaker. Froome hadn’t yet registered his arrival for the race and needed to before it began.

Froome didn’t hear the warning, but two members of the BBC did and helpfully pointed out his oversight. Froome registered and his race began without incident.

Drama at the start of the men's road race. Froome was lined up, happily waiting, while PA called for him to sign in. We've had to tell him!

— Natalie Pirks (@Natpirks) August 6, 2016

“So if Froome wins a medal here, he’s going to name check me and (Andrew Cropper) for saving his bacon, right?” Pirks later joked on Twitter.

Froome didn’t win a medal in the end, finishing 12th on a challenging course marked by devilish turns and meddlesome spectators. Froome finished two minutes and 58 seconds behind gold medal winner Greg Van Avermaet of Belgium.

Froome will get one more chance to become the second man to win both the Tour de France and an Olympic gold medal in the same year. He’s scheduled to compete in the men’s individual time trial on Wednesday.

Froome’s countryman, Sir Bradley Wiggins, won both the Tour de France and Olympic gold in 2012.