Crashes, what can be done?

[bNator]

You still have Dakar rally in which every year someone passes away, usually motocyclists. Motor sports are more dangerous than cycling in general.

There are certain things that can be done, sometimes race designs are a bit too risky, but honestly fatal accidents often happen on lower risk areas (Kivilev, Lambrecht). Gino Mäder accident happened on a descent that had been used for many years without any consequence.

I don't agree at all with the current trend of "everything is risky", "ban everything", "if a fatal crash takes place then it is the organization's fault". Cycling is a dangerous sport that entails risks. Accepting that fact is the first step to improve things. Then, let's concentrate on realistic measures that can really improve safety.

I agree with your assessment. We need realistic measurements to be implemented but we need to start moving. My question earlier in the thread was: what has been done to improve safety besides banning certain positions on the bike in the recent years? Maybe I can extend that and ask what has been done besides trying to change riders behaviour (a little bit)? I think not a single thing (but I might be wrong).

So we are not talking about knee-jerk reaction here, we are talking about any reaction whatsoever. But everyone just sort of seems to be cool with it - it’s an inherently dangerous sport and as long as it’s other people dying and not me, I really don’t care that much… As long as it’s other people dying, I accept it’s a part of our sport.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

We don't know if it's true.
I love races without radios however when we see radios can probably save a rider's life, I'm all in for radios.
I think the only way to avoid death on the road is by making all stages/classics a TT (without dangerous descents). Of course this is not gonna happen.

I think the safety argument in terms of removing tactical radio support is a total red herring.

All radios on one channel: Race control can speak to all riders, and riders (and maybe some other parties) have access to speak up where necessary. Safety requirements met, remote control tactics removed.

Daft to have transponders attached to the bikes, which can be changed mid-race. These are, I think, tiny (transponders, not bikes), so have the riders carry them.

I do worry a bit about the radios: EF, I have particularly noticed, seem to have huge radios on their backs. Surely they could be a complicating factor in a fall, although not that would make for anything life-changing. Surely they could be smaller, but, in the current context, that is minor.

 

[Extinction]

Compulsory helmets were introduced in the 90s, which was a major advance in rider safety measures. Think about it, prior to that cyclists rode the same decents, the same corners, the same cobbles, with nothing protecting their heads. Beyond this there really isn't much else to do in terms of what a rider can wear to diminish the risk of serious or fatal injury after a fall. I'd have to look at old footage, but it seems to me that road furniture (which has increased over the years) is generally more padded than it was in the past. There was also less policing of sprint finishes to relogate riders for physical contact or moving from a line. Overall there is more awareness about having to take safety seriously in the peloton.

And yet the speeds have increased considerably, the riders seemingly compelled to take big risks to get results or be out of a contract. Sure it was like this in the past, but the sponsorship and management pressure today placed on the riders has probably increased, as larger investments and performance science to eke out every possible advantage have created an environment of hyper-expectations.

So, in short, I honestly don't know what can be done to make a sport safer that is inherently one of the most dangerous by its very nature: ride as fast as you can, shoulder to shoulder, elbow to elbow, on often narrow, twisty roads, under physical and mental duress, with little protective gear on your body.

 

[RedheadDane]

Compulsory helmets were introduced in the 90s, which was a major advance in rider safety measures.

Huh? Here I was, thinking they were introduced after the Kivilev crash, in 2003...

 

[Extinction]

Huh? Here I was, thinking they were introduced after the Kivilev crash, in 2003...

I just remember rider protests over being made to ride with a helment in like 1993. But you may be correct that compulsory helmets didn't actually take effect until 2003.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

I fear it's going to take a 'name' to have a horrific crash for any proper meaningful action to happen. Rather like Senna in 1994 in F1/ Motorsport.......

 

[RedheadDane]

I just remember rider protests over being made to ride with a helment in like 1993. But you may be correct that compulsory helmets didn't actually take effect until 2003.

There might have been country-based mandatory helmet use before then, but crazy that it took UCI a decade to realise that "Hmm... these people are on to something. Maybe we should make helmet use mandatory everywhere."