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Crashes, what can be done?

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Just saw the crash of Chris Harper inTour of Alps race. Looks like he entered the corner too fast (no flag warner there) and locked up his rear wheel, immediately losing all control. I think a panic braking with disc brakes is part of the cause of his losing control, as doubtful that the same panic reaction would have locked up a caliper that quickly.
If you watch the footage very cosely Harper got air or bounced off the manhole cover, then bounced slightly when he hit the road. He managed to keep it up quite well, but regained control just in time to hit the kerb.
 
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sid-sport-innovation-design-slef-inflating-bibshorts-1.jpeg



So we got ASO invested in promotional videos on Eurosport, about appropriate and inappropriate cycling fans behaviour, and now first air bag prototypes geared toward pro peloton started to emerge. Such kit would likely save Jonas from the hassle of punctured lungs. And in the end it doesn't really matter on whose fault it was. Cycling is not a penal correctional facility on where an athlete would deserve an injury.

So i guess now it's up to UCI, to help out by making them mandatory, for starters on some race in near future.
 
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@RedheadDane

If i remember correctly last year they were experimenting with air filled barriers. I support such efforts too. Especially as we now know, due to discussions we had, one doesn't have to provide 200km of barriers. On exposed road sections and especially on dangerous descends. There indeed it makes sense to throw a bag off some tractor and to inflate it after, for the purpose of the race. As for all other road sections, there personal air bag kit should still do. Not to prevent all injuries just drastically reduce the number of it.

Anyway, in my opinion at least some organisers and most riders are pro safety. Currently in my opinion UCI is opposing for such measures to be taken. So we have to change their mind to become more pro active. Or else. Most fans are in my opinion currently rather indifferent.

P.S. Not for UCI to say OK we will do an investigation but even before we do one we already know it was a rider fault. Well in the end who really cares on whose fault it was, number of injuries should be reduced regardless if it was a fault of a rider or not.
 
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most roads actually looked better than I epected. But sure, a stage into Napoli is always going to be on the sketchy side.

Meanwhile, in a French junior race this weekend a sports director took out both breakaway riders:

View: https://twitter.com/F3Alsace/status/1789577543659483447


Inexperience may have played a part here, I guess, but in gereral, the whole "one guy for everything" situation in the cars is obviously not ideal.
Wiping out the next potential potential French big star is not the wisest move.
 
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Crashes, what can be done?
Don't race.

During the debates we had we now know the general sentiment among involved parties is:

  • Not all but most riders are interested in changes leading to more safety in the pro peloton.
  • Some organisers do tend to care and are prepared to do something about it.
  • Fans mostly don't care.
  • UCI doesn't care or better, due to position they have, they are pro active in regards to supporting crashes.
So in this specific case your comment is perfectly aligned with that. So seem the riders sentiment, organiser is trying to do something, UCI mute. So yeah, still rather long way to go, before the meme nothing can be done crashes out in some corner. Preferably landing in a fluffy barrier. I mean the organiser didn't even opt-in to provide hot tee in the pit stop. Jeez.
 
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During the debates we had we now know the general sentiment among involved parties is:

  • Not all but most riders are interested in changes leading to more safety in the pro peloton.
  • Some organisers do tend to care and are prepared to do something about it.
  • Fans mostly don't care.
  • UCI doesn't care or better, due to position they have, they are pro active in regards to supporting crashes.
So in this specific case your comment is perfectly aligned with that. So seem the riders sentiment, organiser is trying to do something, UCI mute. So yeah, still rather long way to go, before the meme nothing can be done crashes out in some corner. Preferably landing in a fluffy barrier. I mean the organiser didn't even opt-in to provide hot tee in the pit stop. Jeez.
The problem is that most people agree something should be done about safety, but they want it to be other people's responsibility.

The riders fly about like maniacs not respecting the courses, kamikazeing and divebombing corners without due consideration of risk, and expect the organisers to foot the bill for any changes needed to allow them to do that.

The organisers want to allocate as much of budget as possible to the route, prize money etc. to maximise sponsor and field rather than things like policing, barriers etc. so don't want to up the logistical and H&S budget and want the UCI to foot the bill for it.

The UCI need both races and riders as a key part of their value proposition, and don't want to alienate either group, so wind up making completely irrelevant, anodyne pronouncements that don't offer any firm or coherent action on either - and are far too reactionary, usually policing the outcome rather than the offence.

Fans want to be entertained and don't want races cancelled, but at the same time nor do they want to watch farcical spectacles like stages 2 and 9 of the Vuelta last year where the elites of the pro péloton are having a slow Sunday roll on perfectly safe roads while racing is supposedly still on, while the finish has been moved into a dangerous part of the course, or a future where every single profile is either ________ or _______/ and is only allowed on sunny days (but not too sunny in case of sunstroke) with temperatures between 16º and 24ºC.
 
The riders fly about like maniacs not respecting the courses, kamikazeing and divebombing corners without due consideration of risk, and expect the organisers to foot the bill for any changes needed to allow them to do that.

Modern pro cycling indeed is much more about that, basically full gas racing, like all the time. So much nedded adaptations in the other fronts are in my opinion needed, instead of saying it's the riders fault and that is that.

The organisers want to allocate as much of budget as possible to the route, prize money etc. to maximise sponsor and field rather than things like policing, barriers etc. so don't want to up the logistical and H&S budget and want the UCI to foot the bill for it.

Money for sure is an issue that needs to be taken into consideration. Here for example i like the idea of mandatory inflatable barriers to be positioned on exposed sections. As lets face it if you crash in a solid iron bar, to keep you inside the road, that is still far from being optimal. Now the idea each organizer will acquire a few trucks of such barriers alone, in my opinion it would be much better if this would be outsourced and for the same equipment to be used on more races. Considering such barriers are great spots for "commercials", at least a part of the cost could be taken care of by a sponsor.

The UCI need both races and riders as a key part of their value proposition, and don't want to alienate either group, so wind up making completely irrelevant, anodyne pronouncements that don't offer any firm or coherent action on either - and are far too reactionary, usually policing the outcome rather than the offence.

UCI is currently in denial. That is when it comes to safety they are currently acting like they did when it came to doping. Before they acknowledged it is a problem and something must be done about it. Ultimately nothing will happen without UCI taking their share of responsibility for it.

Fans want to be entertained and don't want races cancelled, but at the same time nor do they want to watch farcical spectacles like stages 2 and 9 of the Vuelta last year where the elites of the pro péloton are having a slow Sunday roll on perfectly safe roads while racing is supposedly still on, while the finish has been moved into a dangerous part of the course, or a future where every single profile is either ________ or _______/ and is only allowed on sunny days (but not too sunny in case of sunstroke) with temperatures between 16º and 24ºC.

Fans, what to say about the fans. One thing is sure, you got to love the fans and fans for sure won't do jack about improving rider safety in pro peloton. Here some potential is in education, ASO already playing a role. For example a selfie, when not facing the approaching peloton. That is just a big no no. We could say doh, people doing that are so stupid, still, they were not properly educated, that is the real problem behind it. As the whole point of doing the selfie is to take out the camera and turn your back on something you want to include in the picture. That is just on how the current generation was educated, to use a camera.