The affiliation of race organisers (AIOCC) held its Common Meeting in Italy on Friday with security the primary level of debate after a season that noticed Muriel Furrer die following a crash on the World Championships and Tour de France contenders critically injured in a mass crash within the Itzulia Basque Nation.
Christian Prudhomme, the final director of the Tour de France, blamed the Itzulia crash on the velocity of the peloton.
“Past the habits of the athletes and the work of the organisers, it’s completely mandatory to scale back velocity by acceptable measures: the riders are going too quick,” Prudhomme emphasised.
“The quicker they go, the higher the danger and the extra they endanger themselves and others. We already stated it right here final yr: our automobile and motorcycle drivers not have a security margin! Think about the results if one in every of our drivers, subjected to an excessive amount of strain, misplaced management on a descent from a cross or when racing by a built-up space.”
Very like throughout the UCI Congress, the topic of Muriel Fisher’s tragic demise introduced security into focus within the assembly, with race radios among the many matters.
UCI President David Lappartient responded to a query in regards to the federation’s plan to scale back using earpieces within the peloton by asserting that there are fewer crashes on the earth championships the place earpieces are usually not allowed.
Lappartient stated that groups argue in favour of earpieces over security issues, however shot again that groups all inform their riders to maneuver up on the similar time earlier than a crucial a part of the course, which causes crashes, and pointed to the radios riders put on on their backs as having the potential to trigger spinal fractures.
“I’ve additionally had riders write to me who don’t essentially need me to publish their names – the bulk will wish to hold the earpieces – however there are nonetheless lots of riders who contemplate that it’s a component that contributes to a specific amount of stress within the peloton.
“I believe it’s a little bit of a disgrace that some folks wish to draw a conclusion from a dramatic fall equivalent to that of Muriel Furrer, which is below investigation by the police,” he stated, including that an earpiece won’t have helped.
He did counsel that GPS trackers could possibly be used sooner or later to ship an alert when a rider’s velocity has dropped to zero.
“There are a number of choices, there is also a riders’ radio that will transmit security info to the riders,” he stated, reasonably than a two-way radio that will enable groups to ship strategic directions to the riders.
Lappartient additionally mentioned the brand new yellow card system that may start to result in sanctions on groups and riders for security rule violations throughout races after a profitable trial throughout the 2024 season.
He stated the UCI has taken suggestions from riders and he agreed there may be some calibration to be accomplished on the scheme. Race officers will likely be educated in order that penalties are imposed constantly between races.