Crashes, what can be done?

[Izzyeviel]

They have to narrow the width of the motorcycles, so they don't ride into riders, like what happened to Nicole Steinmetz in France yesterday.

From her insta

One moment you can be at the front of the race having a wonderful day, ready to fight for a podium, and the next, you can be pinned under a motorcycle. I didn’t think the people who are supposed to make the race course safe would end up being so reckless as to run over a racer, but I am alive to tell the tale. While we were in a single file line going up one of the critical climbs about 100k into stage 3 of Tour des Pyrenees, a moto decided to squeeze between our line and the side of the road. He lost control, grabbed the accelerator instead of the brakes, and completely ran me over. The motorcycle ended up collapsing on top of me, pinning me under with my bike. I’m left with a ruined race, messed up knee, and bruises everywhere. It could have been much worse, but I don’t think this should be a thing racers should ever have to worry about. We need to address reckless motos in the pro peloton. The focus should not be on sock length or handlebar width…it should be on maximizing rider safety.

 

[Oldman]

From her insta

They need to reduce the unnecessary press motos, for starters. Drones provide a better perspective for photos and broadcast. Commissars wouldn't need to be near the front as much, either. Having a shared feed for team cars could reduce some traffic there but you need quick response to mechanical problems.

The guys in the Tour are seriously good. Watched patrolling an u-23 race in the Alps that were previews for the Tour route. No crowds to interfere, though.

 

[veganrob]

Good recommendations.

https://velo.outsideonline.com/road...cebook?utm_campaign=&utm_source=Velo-facebook

 

[Berniece]

Good recommendations.

https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/tour-de-france/how-to-fix-the-tour-de-france-safety-problem-michael-woods-has-a-bold-four-point-plan?utm_campaign=&utm_content=&utm_content=&utm_medium=organic-social&utm_medium=organic-social&utm_source=Velo-facebook?utm_campaign=&utm_source=Velo-facebook

Nothin about where the riders are actually riding... Start with designing a proper course and not going from 3 to 2 lanes in the last 10km's for example when speed is high.

 

[veganrob]

Nothin about where the riders are actually riding... Start with designing a proper course and not going from 3 to 2 lanes in the last 10km's for example when speed is high.

I completely agree with designing a safer course. But his recommendations I think are very good. And if there are only 120 rider and the points designations might even make the 3 lanes down to 2 a bit safer.

 

[Danskebjerge]

The other day, a friend of mine said jokingly: "If the pro's rode with your tires, they would ride 5 kph slower and crash much less." While the number is a bit exaggerated, I believe the point is more valid than he thought: If all riders were forced to ride with a bike tyre like Schwalbe One Plus, the speed would decrease significantly and with no other technical setbacks. They would be able to ride the way they had always done, just slower.

Even a change like introducing a minimum weight of tyres would make a big difference.

As I see it, the only weakness of this idea is that the tyre producers would be annoyed. But are they that important to cycling? I think bike producers are more important, and their ambition to create aerodynamic bikes etc would not suffer from the new tyre rules.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

The other day, a friend of mine said jokingly: "If the pro's rode with your tires, they would ride 5 kph slower and crash much less." While the number is a bit exaggerated, I believe the point is more valid than he thought: If all riders were forced to ride with a bike tyre like Schwalbe One Plus, the speed would decrease significantly and with no other technical setbacks. They would be able to ride the way they had always done, just slower.

Even a change like introducing a minimum weight of tyres would make a big difference.

As I see it, the only weakness of this idea is that the tyre producers would be annoyed. But are they that important to cycling? I think bike producers are more important, and their ambition to create aerodynamic bikes etc would not suffer from the new tyre rules.

Simple - do what a lot of motorsport series do, Have one sole supplier for the World Tour.....
So the UCI put a tender out to interested suppliers; best bid wins the right to supply all teams.........and teams have a limited choice of tyres..all slower than the current ones used.

Pro cycling has so many things to learn from motorsport; which regularly has to slow cars/ bikes down for safety......

 

[Mayomaniac]

Simple - do what a lot of motorsport series do, Have one sole supplier for the World Tour.....
So the UCI put a tender out to interested suppliers; best bid wins the right to supply all teams.........and teams have a limited choice of tyres..all slower than the current ones used.

Pro cycling has so many things to learn from motorsport; which regularly has to slow cars/ bikes down for safety......

I mean, banning the short lasting TT-tires that they are all using would be a thing.
But you can't compare it exactly to motorsports or motor"sports" like F1, those cars are made for racing and not produced by the sponsors/suppliers to be sold to the general public to make a profit.
But less aero bike, aero helmets and other aero stuff wouldn't exactly be the end of the world imo...

 

[Danskebjerge]

But less aero bike, aero helmets and other aero stuff wouldn't exactly be the end of the world imo...

No, but why have all kinds of regulation, when changing one factor - the tyres - would solve the whole thing while still keeping the technology race intact.

 

[jmdirt]

The other day, a friend of mine said jokingly: "If the pro's rode with your tires, they would ride 5 kph slower and crash much less." While the number is a bit exaggerated, I believe the point is more valid than he thought: If all riders were forced to ride with a bike tyre like Schwalbe One Plus, the speed would decrease significantly and with no other technical setbacks. They would be able to ride the way they had always done, just slower.

Even a change like introducing a minimum weight of tyres would make a big difference.

As I see it, the only weakness of this idea is that the tyre producers would be annoyed. But are they that important to cycling? I think bike producers are more important, and their ambition to create aerodynamic bikes etc would not suffer from the new tyre rules.

I'm not sure that adding a slow (er), stiff, wire bead tire is the answer.

 

[ashhutch1997]

I'm certain today's crash was a result of hookles wheels. You can see the tire exploding and coming off the rim, thats not normal.

 

[ice&fire]

I'm certain today's crash was a result of hookles wheels. You can see the tire exploding and coming off the rim, thats not normal.

It happened to Pogacar last year in the Oropa stage at the Giro. He had a front tire puncture and went down at a corner while he was riding at low speed waiting for the team car to reach him. The tire bead separated from the rim and the sealant liquid spilled over.
Unfortunately it is normal, even if wheel manufacturers want us to believe otherwise.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

It happened to Pogacar last year in the Oropa stage at the Giro. He had a front tire puncture and went down at a corner while he was riding at low speed waiting for the team car to reach him. The tire bead separated from the rim and the sealant liquid spilled over.
Unfortunately it is normal, even if wheel manufacturers want us to believe otherwise.

But that was completely different, the tire was already punctured for Pogačar

 

[carolina]

Are we sure the tyre was the reason for the crash? Maybe there was a touch of wheels and the tyre came out during the crash.

 

[veganrob]

I'm certain today's crash was a result of hookles wheels. You can see the tire exploding and coming off the rim, thats not normal.

What is the wheel brand? Enve and Zipp are hookless but most others are hooked

 

[ice&fire]

Are we sure the tyre was the reason for the crash? Maybe there was a touch of wheels and the tyre came out during the crash.

Just after the crash there's a man taking the bikes off the road and there's a Colnago bike with ENVE wheels and the rubber totally missing from the rear wheel. Rear tire blowout seems more likely than just a roll off.

Others have been able to hear/see more signs of tire blowout in the audio/video, but the rear wheel missing the tire is clearly visible.

VIDEO | Did a burst tire cause João Almeida's stage 7 crash?

Stage 7 of the 2025 Tour de France saw chaos unfold at high speed on the approach to the Mûr-de-Bretagne, as a crash ripped through the general classification group and forced Jack Haig to abandon. Am...

cyclinguptodate.com

 

[Divergence]

Hookless/tubeless is stupid and teams should not be using it in order to protect their riders' safety. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of bright bulbs in the management of the cycling teams. Another option is for UCI to ban these but banning stuff should never be a preferred option.

 

[jmdirt]

I'm certain today's crash was a result of hookles wheels. You can see the tire exploding and coming off the rim, thats not normal.

how does hookless cause a tire to explode?

EDIT: That's crazy that the tire was just gone. The casing had to completely fail.

 

[ashhutch1997]

how does hookless cause a tire to explode?

EDIT: That's crazy that the tire was just gone. The casing had to completely fail.

Because there aren't hooks to catch the tire once you punture, meaning the tire literally rolls off. It's so dumb.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Most important thing: Rider's accountability.
Until they don't get it, we will have massive crashes regularly.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Most important thing: Rider's accountability.
Until they don't get it, we will have massive crashes regularly.

Yeah; actual penalties whilst the race is taking place......not a yellow card after it has finished. Pull a rider over for a 'stop-go' penalty for 30-40+ seconds - and they can't get help getting back to the peloton.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Does Groves have questionable pictures of the referees or something?

 

[Wyndbrook]

Does Groves have questionable pictures of the referees or something?

Oh, I do hope so, as long as we can see them.

 

[jmdirt]

Because there aren't hooks to catch the tire once you punture, meaning the tire literally rolls off. It's so dumb.

"rolls off" and "explodes" are different things to me.

 

[jmdirt]

Oh, I do hope so, as long as we can see them.

We might not want to see them...