Crashes, what can be done?

[Netserk]

just ban all cobbled classics and go to dubai instead

omloop with 50 riders at the start would still be far more dangerous than riding on highways in the desert

 

[AmRacer]

just ban all cobbled classics and go to dubai instead

omloop with 50 riders at the start would still be far more dangerous than riding on highways in the desert

🙄

 

[Unchained]

If you read the injury shopping list.... riders with broken teeth, collarbones, pelvis, Kung injury described so far as a fracture to thigh area? The Mads mess sounds workable, same with Wellens, but Trek and UAE are losing key riders all over the place. if Wellens gets screws and plates he can be training in @3-4 weeks limited duty. Narvaez still a wait and see..TDF squad for UAE will surely change if rate of attrition keeps up.

 

[Eagle_Alps]

If you read the injury shopping list.... riders with broken teeth, collarbones, pelvis, Kung injury described so far as a fracture to thigh area?

Airbags seem to be a good idea, but which one of these injuries would have been prevented if the riders had worn them?

And which crashes were caused by reckless riding? The only "dumb/avoidable" crashes I saw were caused by riders trying to put on or remove their raincoats. And the consequences seemed relatively minor.

So, what can be done, really?

 

[ashhutch1997]

I've been saying this for a while, the biggest problem is this obsession from DS's to be at the front. I turn on KBK and the riders are fighting tooth and nail to get to some random right hand bend with over 100k to go.

However, I don't think there's much more crashes than before, I remember the opening stages of the 2010 Giro in Holland being a crash fest, 2004/11/15/21 TDF first weeks had loads of big crashes, and the 2007 GW was the worst day of crashes I have ever seen.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Training crashes have nothing to do with the solutions to pro racing crashes. Open roads alone or in small groups has a totally different risk profile to a full péloton at race speeds on closed roads. Oftentimes the very same things that can make a road entirely unsuitable for race conditions are essential safety features of that same road when open to traffic.

Conflating the two just detracts from your point.

I don't know to whom you replied with this as at least last couple of posts didn't involve training crashes. As for possible introduction of more safety apparel in pro road peloton, that IMHO will affect training sessions too. Luckily.

As for the sport getting banned due to danger levels, the Isle of Man TT still takes place every single year.

Is Isle of Man TT a mainstream sport and/or where there ever calls involved to ban it altogether? Do you reckon does pro road peloton want to be associated with it in terms of athlete safety?

Airbags seem to be a good idea, but which one of these injuries would have been prevented if the riders had worn them?

Likely most.

And which crashes were caused by reckless riding? The only "dumb/avoidable" crashes I saw were caused by riders trying to put on or remove their raincoats. And the consequences seemed relatively minor.

Even if it would be true, that still doesn't mean it can continue go on.

So, what can be done, really?

A lot of things but currently not much is being done about it. Some jerking around with a tape measure and similar and that is it.

 

[Pozzovivo]

I've been saying this for a while, the biggest problem is this obsession from DS's to be at the front. I turn on KBK and the riders are fighting tooth and nail to get to some random right hand bend with over 100k to go.

However, I don't think there's much more crashes than before, I remember the opening stages of the 2010 Giro in Holland being a crash fest, 2004/11/15/21 TDF first weeks had loads of big crashes, and the 2007 GW was the worst day of crashes I have ever seen.

There are more crashes than before. Probably the strongest correlate is increased speed but it all hangs together with evrything else. The race is "on" for much longer than before now. Which increases speed in turn. DS are rightly panicking about being at the front because the cost of being at the back is very high with the large peloton (also due to the risk of crashes).

 

[CyclistAbi]

Does it even matter if there is more or less crashes and injuries then before?

It's too much.

 

[Eagle_Alps]

Likely most.

broken teeth? collarbones? pelvis? thigh? The only workable prototype of a cycling airbag we have seen would have done nothing to help.
But anyway, it would at least be a step in the right direction. Better than nothing.
But not enough.

 

[CyclistAbi]

broken teeth? collarbones? pelvis? thigh? The only workable prototype of a cycling airbag we have seen would have done nothing to help.
But anyway, it would at least be a step in the right direction. Better than nothing.
But not enough.

Hard to tell as the head bumped into the ground on where the teeth gave up. With activated airbaig the space in between the chest and the ground would be bigger so there is a chance for the teeth to be saved as a result. Colarbone and pelvis/hip yes, no brainer, thigh will likely be covered with an airbag too, current models that focus on pelvis/hip area could again help in some occasions with the thigh, mostly due to thigh being further away from the ground on impact, due to pelvis area being inflated. Obviously dedicated air sleeve for the tight to further reduce the possibility of injury.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I don't know to whom you replied with this as at least last couple of posts didn't involve training crashes. As for possible introduction of more safety apparel in pro road peloton, that IMHO will affect training sessions too. Luckily.

Did you even read the articles you were citing? The Zoe Backstedt one was about a training crash.

Is Isle of Man TT a mainstream sport and/or where there ever calls involved to ban it altogether? Do you reckon does pro road peloton want to be associated with it in terms of athlete safety?

Motor racing is pretty mainstream, although the TT is pretty niche within it. And of course the pro road péloton doesn't want to be associated with it in terms of athlete safety. And, you know what, it isn't. Because it's a lot safer - even in its current state - than the TT is. And yet the TT runs every year and it is not under threat of being banned altogether.

And nor is professional road cycling, except in your most hare-brained hyperbole.

 

[jmdirt]

I've been saying this for a while, the biggest problem is this obsession from DS's to be at the front. I turn on KBK and the riders are fighting tooth and nail to get to some random right hand bend with over 100k to go.

However, I don't think there's much more crashes than before, I remember the opening stages of the 2010 Giro in Holland being a crash fest, 2004/11/15/21 TDF first weeks had loads of big crashes, and the 2007 GW was the worst day of crashes I have ever seen.

I disagree. There have always been crashes, but there are considerably more now.

 

[Oldman]

broken teeth? collarbones? pelvis? thigh? The only workable prototype of a cycling airbag we have seen would have done nothing to help.
But anyway, it would at least be a step in the right direction. Better than nothing.
But not enough.

Maybe help for a collarbone; the easiest injury to heal. They can help shield the vital organs from the one organ that makes the mistakes. The helmet is supposed to protect that.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Did you even read the articles you were citing? The Zoe Backstedt one was about a training crash.

That explains it as the reaction was implying you were triggered by something but i didn't know what caused it. Well, the truth is it doesn't make much difference, does it?

Motor racing is pretty mainstream, although the TT is pretty niche within it. And of course the pro road péloton doesn't want to be associated with it in terms of athlete safety. And, you know what, it isn't. Because it's a lot safer - even in its current state - than the TT is. And yet the TT runs every year and it is not under threat of being banned altogether.

I mean you brought this race up, not me, likely mentioning cricket of curling wouldn't do. I assume. Anyway, i agree that pro road peloton should never be associated with it, as that would be very damaging to the reputation. As for if the event you mentioned is under threat of getting banned. It is/was, basically every year that deaths surged the calls to ban it altogether emerged. Is organiser concerned by it? IMHO they are rather concerned by that. For example in 2025 it was only second time in history on where nobody died and starting with 2026 season airbag systems will become mandatory. IMHO it could happen, if at some season going forward death toll to surge, for organisers to get raided and jailed and for event to get banned.

And nor is professional road cycling, except in your most hare-brained hyperbole.

I don't know about that, the era of naivety is IMHO over, more in depth coverage, pressure and sensitivity on the raise:

Over 40 riders on the sidelines after spate of early-season crashes – Pro cycling injury list 2026

WorldTour, Women's WorldTour and ProTeam riders sidelined from racing while recovering from injuries

www.cyclingnews.com

On top of that i guess that is only the tip of the iceberg:

'I felt an obligation to be truthful and speak out' – Why Demi Vollering wants to keep periods and women's health in the spotlight in cycling

Former Tour de France Femmes champion has habitually spoken about periods, nutrition and health, saying 'it's very important to keep speaking up'

www.cyclingnews.com

It's a well known fact that if a woman keeps body fat percentage too low for prolonged time certain biological processes simply stop and illness such as osteoporosis surges. In modern sport such things are becoming a part of the sport, on where in the past the sport wanted to keep it out. Cycling here i guess again not on the frontiers but again likely one of the last sport to acknowledge it. For example even Isle of Man TT has beaten pro road peloton to it, on when it comes to introduction of safety apparel, such as airbag systems. This is just beyond.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

That explains it as the reaction was implying you were triggered by something but i didn't know what caused it. Well, the truth is it doesn't make much difference, does it?

Yes it does, because, as I mentioned, training is entirely different from racing, and road furniture that is a danger for road racing is an essential safety feature the rest of the year. When you're debating the dangers of road racing, crashes outside of race conditions are entirely irrelevant.

I don't know about that, the era of naivety is IMHO over, more in depth coverage, pressure and sensitivity on the raise:

Over 40 riders on the sidelines after spate of early-season crashes – Pro cycling injury list 2026

WorldTour, Women's WorldTour and ProTeam riders sidelined from racing while recovering from injuries

www.cyclingnews.com

There is a huge, huge, insane logical leap of interpretation from "more riders have got injured early season than usual" to "people are legitimately calling for this sport to be banned".

On top of that i guess that is only the tip of the iceberg:

'I felt an obligation to be truthful and speak out' – Why Demi Vollering wants to keep periods and women's health in the spotlight in cycling

Former Tour de France Femmes champion has habitually spoken about periods, nutrition and health, saying 'it's very important to keep speaking up'

www.cyclingnews.com

It's a well known fact that if a woman keeps body fat percentage too low for prolonged time certain biological processes simply stop and illness such as osteoporosis surges. In modern sport such things are becoming a part of the sport, on where in the past the sport wanted to keep it out. Cycling here i guess again not on the frontiers but again likely one of the last sport to acknowledge it.

That has absolutely nothing to do with crashes in road racing or implementing of airbags. It's literally nothing to do with the point at hand. It is a perfectly reasonable discussion point, but it's completely unrelated to your prior argument or in fact this thread as a whole.

You detract from any good points you have to make when your argument is presented in ludicrously bad faith.

You supported the point of there being too much danger in racing by including an article about someone who crashed in training. Then you claimed you didn't post an article about a crash in training. When then confronted with the evidence that, in fact, you did, you claim it still supports your point.

You claimed that cycling is on its way to being banned, a completely and utterly baseless statement, which you attempt to support by posting a link to an article that claims nothing more than "more riders than usual have got hurt so far this season", and then for some reason throw in a completely unrelated article about women's health that has absolutely nothing to do with the outcomes of crashes. Literally nothing is said in that article about rider safety in the context of crashes and injuries.

So, again, I ask you, do you actually read the articles you post in favour of your argument? Or do you just make your argument and throw hyperlinks in there in the blind hope that it supports your point?

 

[Unchained]

Maybe help for a collarbone; the easiest injury to heal. They can help shield the vital organs from the one organ that makes the mistakes. The helmet is supposed to protect that.

This is a bit misleading. Fractured clavicle injuries vary widely. So does medical care. For decades in the US and much of Western Europe, the remedy for routine, clean breaks was to immobilize the injury, using an inexpensive, easy to use ,simple device that generally held the broken bone in place and @5-7 weeks later , injury area was useable and in short time frame, with no further follow up broken bone was fully healed.
Today many people, even non athletes get surgery on broken bone, again fairly simple surgical procedure to sandwich broken area with plates and screws, holds the broken bone securely together and bone fuses faster and for some , there is less of a " calcium lump ". I don't know any collar bone models but I guess they are out there.

Bicycle helmets are a utter engineering joke as I have repeated dozens of different ways. Your head doesn't know if you are falling on pavement at 50mph from a motorcycle or bicycle but bicycle industry insists that somewhere forces nobody can see or describe determine a different outcome in injury and protection.
Many water ski helmets have better engineering and protective properties.
Polo, skateboards, snow skiing, rock climbing, many are generally better than bike helmet design which have only grown more to look like ridiculous polystyrene toupees with some protection on top, none on rear held or by a strap resembling a healthy shoelace.

And as I have repeated, there is no data, none.
UCI isn't telling anyone anything if they have secret safety data.
Is there a manufacturer that is involved in disproportionate number of crashes?
Is SRAM more dangerous than Shimano? Do tell.
Does one brand of wheel, tire, tube ,seat, bars, groupo, chain ,crank, pedal factor in crashes?
Especially serious injury or the rare fatal accident.
What is the data set?
Who has it?
I often get angry thinking about the three or four major factors on the subject, no science, no data, no honesty and a deep, deep degree of things disingenuous.

If I was in discussion with friends or family, business associates and all had some knowledge of racing and my history since before my 5th birthday as a baseline. If I said out loud that I thought a starting point for the crash corrective action in bike racing was to focus in on ten tooth cog and that I had already spent years and @€300,00+ on litigation..
There would be an intervention of some kind.
Many friends who do know riding and racing would never listen or respect any thing I said. But instead of my made up story, that is actually going on in real life.

It's like rider location safety beacons. Is it a major crash issue?
Do riders often get lost?
They go off the road and nobody notices? It obviously happened, it was a terrible tragedy.
But the solution was insane for it's lack of communication. Take the problem..
Rider going off the road
..obviously, easy, least expensive solution. Tell teams, talk to teams, talk to Garmin, talk to Wahoo, other popular products being used. Does your current device have a function like that?
The answer for the majority was yes, our head end can do that.
Problem solved at lowest level, rider safety improved. And a seldom talked about or sold feature is part of a marketing angle, track your kid, wife, husband, friend while out on the bike. What happened was the opposite, UCI and others created multiple problems where there was none.
I would use real life and great engineers, engineering as examples for the path forward. If Honda, Toyota, Ford and a few others experienced wide spread problems with air bag deployment, either incorrectly or random, arbitrary activation, nobody should trust the UCI to test, approve or oversight on anything so technical and potentially dangerous and deadly. The guys have issues with socks and jerseys, have yet to come up with rain jacket safety.
Hey UCI hire me..problem riders crashing from putting on and taking off rain jackets while in motion... Wait for it..my 3 Stooges solution, riders need to stop, to put on or take off jackets and chase back on. Problem solved, thanks that will be a million dollars.
UCI couldn't keep race and riders safe during the Vuelta, they had to hold awards in a semi secret parking garage because they couldn't figure it out. Are conditions that lead to safety issues last year improved or are they worse? UCI better put their thinking cap on ..