Crashes, what can be done?

[Squire]

OK, fair point, you don't know if the numbers are correct. So if the numbers are correct, then you do acknowledge the rise as being a fact?

If the numbers are correct, then it's clear that there were quite a bit more reported injuries (if that's what the numbers say, but we don't even know that because the graph just says 'injuries') in 2023 and 2024 compared to the average from the years before. The 200% increase (or 400% as the article claims going from 100 to 300 represents) is extreme cherry-picking of numbers.

But I prefer to discuss things based on something a bit more reliable than 'if the unreferenced numbers shown in a marketing article are correct'. I also prefer people who are stating things as facts to be able to back them up by actual evidence. Other than that, I agree with every good measure that can be taken against crashes and injuries in cycling, regardless of whether the number of crashes/injuries have increased or not. There are still too many of them for my liking.

 

[CyclistAbi]

@Libertine Seguros

Ah, i see. Well it can't really be that bad, as you end up agreeing with most of it. Much appreciated. As for personal digs, it's sporting orientated forum after all and hence i understand that.

Women's health is something i feel we could discuss ATM, as Vollering is vocal about it and we are sort of in a limbo, in between waiting for Airbags to be implemented and the rest that likely won't be implemented or to have any meaningful impact to simply pass by. So maybe women's health is something to take on now, as i doubt UCI president will. Or we don't have to if it's not time yet.

@Squire

At this point i feel it's pointless to debate things like if something happens 100 times 12 years back and now 400 times, on how many percentages increase that really is. It's a lot, isn't it? You asked for data and you got it.

Now if the numbers are true or not, this will get sorted out in future debates. After all this is the very first time i seen such numbers posted anywhere on this forum. So let that just sink in a bit first. What i can say is numbers are likely correct, checked against some public databases and posted articles and it seems consistent. For example the data says we already exceeded 2014 numbers, injuries, in 2026 season and well, it's beginning of April.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Fire people at the UCI who don't have piles

Seems a bit severe.

Who's going to have to check them all?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

@Libertine Seguros

Ah, i see. Well it can't really be that bad, as you end up agreeing with most of it. Much appreciated. As for personal digs, it's sporting orientated forum after all and hence i understand that.

Here's the crux of the issue.

If there is a spate of injuries in soccer that cause some major players to miss the World Cup, it will be a bad thing. Nobody is going to dispute that. And if dangerous play is contributing to us seeing lots of star players getting injured, we should expect FIFA to clamp down on player or referee behaviours, or if improved shinpads and ankle supports (modern shinpads are ridiculously small and ineffectual) can be introduced, then that's great.

But if I start screaming from the rooftops that the sport of soccer is in danger of dying because of these injuries, and start posting articles that say "Real Madrid make three changes to their starting lineup due to injuries on international duty" and writing forum posts claiming this article actually says "Real Madrid president blames FIFA for endangering players' lives" to back up my claim that the sport is dying... I shouldn't expect people to take me seriously.

 

[jmdirt]

Number of riders involved is a difficult one to track accurately, because it's difficult to define what constitutes being involved in a crash. Are you involved if you have to put your foot on the ground? Because that's something that can happen both because people are crashing in front of you, and because someone crashes into you from the side. If no to the former but yes to the latter, where do you draw the line between the two? If no to both, then how hard does a rider need to crash into you to be considered involved?

And it also isn't data you're going to be able to find for the non-televised early stages of stages/races that were the norm everywhere quite recently, making it impossible to compare to even the mid-2010s. Medical bulletins will probably have survived somewhere going decently far back.

We are discussing crashes. Putting your foot down is not a crash.

 

[jmdirt]

Seems a bit severe.

Who's going to have to check them all?

The CN Forum mods!