Devastating falls, chaotic route guides and no solution in sight: The security debate broke out again in cycling in the large north classic.
In the end, there were just 16 drivers left, who were lined with the victory at Bruges-de Panne. The big rest of the peloton? Go to the ground or slowed down by one of the many mass crashes, four times a whole crashed over the last five kilometers. The completely chaotic finale at the one -day race in Belgium lets the security debate boil up again in cycling – and the increasingly angry drivers shaking back.
“That was one of the most dangerous finals I’ve ever driven”the Italian sprinter Jonathan Milan, who had to give up on Wednesday to the Colombian Sebastián Molano: “The route is simply very dangerous with the many curves, if everyone wants to win at the end, then that happens.”
There are always serious accidents
Falls, injuries, in the worst case even danger to life: in front of the big north classics around the legendary Paris-Roubaix, which promise sporting spectacles in the coming weeks, the biggest problem of cycling has been painfully back into focus.
Almost two years after the fatal racing accident of Gino Mäder and a good six months after the tragic death of Muriel Furrer (both from Switzerland) after a fall in the Junior World Cup, the athletes’ security situation has obviously not improved. Serious accidents at extremely high speeds are still the order of the day.
Yellow cards for drivers – but the uncertainty remains
The previous measures by the World Association UCI, which has taken care of the matter, do not seem to be fruitful. Probably also because they get a little toothless. For example, the “Safer” working group launched by the UCI has introduced yellow cards that receive drivers for dangerous driving behavior. With several of these warnings, which also result in a fine, the driver can be locked.
The yellow cards are also used, but the basic problems remain. The constantly improved material, the optimized training conditions, the higher financial pressure due to promotion and relegation opportunities in the World Tour: All of this has ensured that the average speeds in top cycling speeds that have already been breathed in breath have increased significantly in recent years. And the organizers of the races do not meet their responsibility for the health of the athletes.
Route With Bruges-de breakdown? “Totally stupid”
At Brügge-de Panne, the usual winds hoped blue-eyed to equalize the field before the final. Only: this time failed – and far too many drivers drove with high speed into the much too narrow final kilometers. A winding route that the German Max Walscheid, which was only braked and not brought down, at Radsportnews as “totally stupid” designated.
The UCI, which is financially in a dependency on the organizers, exerts too little pressure in the eyes of many active pressure. “I think it’s a shame that the UCI doesn’t move forward. With her power she doesn’t do anything”among other things, criticized voutine John Degenkolb recently in the sports show.
The World Association refers to possible sanctions and downgrades of certain races for security concerns. However, the UCI has not yet found a resounding approach to problem solving.