"We have to admit that the finish was indeed not straight, that is obvious," said course builder Thierry Gouvenou to Sporza.
"The people of Bayonne had first made 2 other proposals, both of which I refused, because it would be too dangerous. In the end, we landed on their 3rd proposal."
"It's true that that finish wasn't ideal, but I think there are more crashes with a straight finish than with a curve. We shouldn't reason too strictly. Straight finishes are no guarantee for no crashes."
Gouvenou also subtly notes: "They didn't crash at all yesterday, which is quite rare for a first bunch sprint in the Tour."
How do you find space for a finish in a big city?
"In this case it was just not possible to finish on a straight. You also have to take into account that we need different technical zones and space for the public at the finish. So you need enough space. People don't think that so fast."
"We could also have driven to a city further on, where it might have been safer. But the riders might not have taken that after 2 tough stages in the Basque Country."
In the Tour they still use the wafer-thin nadar fences at the finish. That, among other things, ensured that Wout van Aert hit someone from the audience in full sprint.
Nevertheless, the wider fences of, among others, the Belgian company Boplan are not an option, says Gouvenou. "Each country has its own means of providing security."
"We invest heavily in signaling and the other safety measures are also improving every year. Our resources are at least as good as those of Boplan."
But wouldn't those thicker fences increase the distance between the riders and the public and thus make it safer for the riders? "Maybe. But if you want to make your entire final with that kind of closure, then you need 6 to 7 extra trucks. We also have to think about our ecological footprint."
In any case, the finish of the stage in Bayonne seems to be at odds with the ambitious SafeR safety plans that were unfolded last Friday. "I'm part of the SafeR working group," says Gouvenou. "But for now these are just ideas, the plans have yet to be concrete. Only then can you draw conclusions about whether it works effectively."
De finale van de 3e rit in de Ronde van Frankrijk oogstte heel wat kritiek bij zowel de renners als de wielervolgers. Was het niet onverantwoord om helemaal op het einde nog een bocht te leggen? Parcoursbouwer Thierry Gouvenou legt uit waarom dat niet anders kon.
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