Étoile de Bessèges 2025 February 5th - 9th

[Samamba]

Given how rarely this happens, surely that must be what is usually being done?

This does not rarely happen in France, or in the Netherlands for example.

How often does a race go past people's homes? Usually organisers are indeed able to inform people that "Hey, just so you know, there'll be a bike race coming by shortly. So, could you please avoid driving onto the road?"

I don't know, maybe read what I said.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

So it's suddenly turned into the 2023 Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées? Great.

 

[Faserr]

They don't block the homes. The only thing you can do is to inform them.

 

[Samamba]

There's always people who don't know. But again, if it's a guy who came on the road via a roundabout it's a different story.

 

[tobydawq]

This does not rarely happen in France, or in the Netherlands for example.



I don't know, maybe read what I said.

Yes it does. I've barely seen it happening before, and I've certainly watched my share of bike races.

 

[Faserr]

Yes it does. I've barely seen it happening before, and I've certainly watched my share of bike races.

Schachmann was hit at LBL by a car.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Big Paul and the quickstep boys trying to stop the race here and now so they get the W, a fine strategy.

Lefevere in a fake moustache and comedy glasses driving the car.

 

[Samamba]

Yes it does. I've barely seen it happening before, and I've certainly watched my share of bike races.

Happens a lot in u23 races/women races/smaller French races. Usually they are stopped in time by moto's in front of group so you don't notice it. Literally happened multiple times in Mallorca last week too btw, cars were on the side of the road with their lights on, even a truc. Riders weren't happy either, but it happens constantly.

Literally happened in Lombardia a few years back even, in LBL too (and that's Belgium where it's easier to enforce it).

 

[Coffeeplanter]

Given how rarely this happens, surely that must be what is usually being done?

Sure, for the Ronde van Vlaanderen or Tour de France. I don't think you're going to get much collaboration and security in freaking Besseges. It even happens in monuments, like Lombardia.

 

[tobydawq]

Schachmann was hit at LBL by a car.

Lombardia. But okay, yes, it's not the first time I've seen it happening but people act as if it happens in every race.

 

[RedheadDane]

Happens a lot in u23 races/women races/smaller French races. Usually they are stopped in time by moto's in front of group so you don't notice it. Literally happened multiple times in Mallorca last week too btw, cars were on the side of the road with their lights on, even a truc. Riders weren't happy either, but it happens constantly.

So, the riders are fed up?

 

[Samamba]

So, the riders are fed up?

What are you even trying to say. Of course the riders don"t like it, it's dangerous. No one is saying it isn't. All I said was that it is not possible to prevent every case if it's a car coming on to a road via his driveway. You pretended like it was, which is BS. You can't control wat people do.

Also there seems to be a disagreement between the riders right now. Not everyone wants to quit.

 

[RedheadDane]

What are you even trying to say. Of course the riders don"t like it, it's dangerous. No one is saying it isn't. Also there seems to be a disagreement between the riders right now. Not everyone wants to quit.

I dunno... your "nothing can be done anyway" sure seemed to imply there's no point in trying to fix it.

 

[Samamba]

They're starting again.

 

[Samamba]

I dunno... your "nothing can be done anyway" sure seemed to imply there's no point in trying to fix it.

Why do you always put words into peoples mouth? Just read my post again. You're generalizeing my statement to every car on the road when I specifically was talking about people coming out of their driveways or super small roads. You are talking about small organizers with some volunteers. You can not expect them to do the quasi impossible.

 

[RedheadDane]

Why do you always put words into peoples mouth? Just read my post again. You're generalizeing my statement to every car on the road when I specifically said

(I have no idea why people think this can be prevented?)

It can be prevented.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Big Paul and the quickstep boys trying to stop the race here and now so they get the W, a fine strategy.

Lefevere in a fake moustache and comedy glasses driving the car.

Lefevre behind the wheel is the most dangerous scenario of all

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Bessèges has been running for ages, basically always without major incidents like this and yesterday's, and often on the same roads (today's stage is literally in there every year). Unless the organisers are short on manpower or something this year, I struggle to see how this is because they have ***ed up. Think it's more likely that they had bad luck running into two moronic drivers.

Also, even if the car came from a roundabout, it's not necessarily the organiser's fault. I work for a company that does highway maintenance and every year, there are more people who will deliberately ignore very visible road closures, resulting in dangerous situations. The kind of person who does that is also the kind of person who will brute force their way past the motors guarding the route. Stands to reason that the rise in antisocial behaviour post-Covid is going to result in more incidents like this, even when safety regulations are still being followed to the same extent.

 

[Didinho]

Normally there are police motards a couple minutes before the race arrives. And some cars from the organization like the RODANIA car with a lot of noise/music. Don’t know if this is in every race but I’ve always seen it like this here in Belgium, even little races.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Peloton is divided and a mess with these kids unable to make a decision so the race will continue, the car would never have even dared reverse if El Patron, a.k.a the Ambassador for Peace was here.

 

[RedheadDane]

[[deleted content]]

I was replying the the bit you originally posted. No clue why you'd post half-a-post, and then edit it... not sure how you thought I was supposed to know you were gonna edit the post.

And I only quoted the relevant part from your earlier post last page.

 

[Samamba]

Bessèges has been running for ages, basically always without major incidents like this and yesterday's, and often on the same roads (today's stage is literally in there every year). Unless the organisers are short on manpower or something this year, I struggle to see how this is because they have ***ed up. Think it's more likely that they had bad luck running into two moronic drivers...

I mean most smaller races are short on manpower nowadays (even in Belgium). You have to rely on volunteers in the end. It is still possible it's a *** up, like when Moto's didn't stop the cars, or when a car actually came on the road via a roundabout (when it should be closed). Doesn't mean every instance of a car on the road is *** up.

 

[Samamba]

I was replying the the bit you originally posted. No clue why you'd post half-a-post, and then edit it... not sure how you thought I was supposed to know you were gonna edit the post.

And I only quoted the relevant part from your earlier post last page.

No you quoted a statement without context when I literally said that related to apparently someone coming out of his driveway. And now I'm gonna stop cause I know dicussions with you will probably never stop otherwise.

 

[RedheadDane]

No you quoted a statement without context when I literally said that related to apparently someone coming out of his driveway.

Which is the thing that has been prevented in the past and therefore can indeed be prevented... remember how I when I originally quoted that post where you mistakenly questioned people's understanding of the fact that it can indeed be prevented, I quoted the full post (before your edit) and just highlighted that bit?

As for this post:

Why do you always put words into peoples mouth? Just read my post again. You're generalizeing my statement to every car on the road when I specifically was talking about people coming out of their driveways or super small roads. You are talking about small organizers with some volunteers. You can not expect them to do the quasi impossible.

As we have established, that's not what it said when I originally quoted it. No idea why it doesn't show as having been edited...

 

[RedheadDane]

Anyway:

The race will be restarted in the village of Gammal, at KM 17.2.

I'm assuming they mean 17.2 KM into the route. No clue why they'd write it like that, when it's only the KMs to go that are relevant.