Why Are There So Many Crashes Now! In Road Racing ?

[Dogtrousers]

As @Beebo says, more crashes are on TV, as more racing is televised. That may give the impression of an increase.

There was a cluster of crashes when the 2020 racing restarted which may have had an underlying reason, but may have just been a cluster, cos clusters happen.

Like others I don't get the impression that crashes are on the increase, but that doesn't really mean much. It's just a personal impression and could be driven by what I tend to remember, which races I watch, and so on.

I've never seen any stats. And in the absence of any stats I guess all we can say is we don't know if accidents are increasing, decreasing, or roughly steady.

So in the absence of any facts - there's nothing requiring an explanation.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Do you have a plot of crashes against number of races and riders over the years? Please do share.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

If you watched one race a year you'd see a lot less crashes than someone (like me) who pretty much watches some form of cycle race every day.

A lot of them are IMO, partly caused by what motorcycle road racers would call "furniture" and in some cases, route planning.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

And it's his sofa, is it?</h2g2>

Good reference 😀

 

[cougie uk]

More cameras to capture more crashes.
More road furniture.

I'm still not convinced that there are more crashes though. You need to show your workings.

 

[cyberknight]

The pros have said that there is less respect in the peleton in general as everyone wants to be at the front all the time

 

[Ming the Merciless]

This guy ? answers all my threads with the same nonsense!

Come on what’s the numbers of crashes vs, number of riders times number of events look like? You’ve got to compare like with like to get a realistic view. So far you’ve produced no numbers.

 

[Adam4868]

I'd say in pro cycling there's a crash in almost every race.So the more you watch,the more you'll see.
But what do I know....

 

[rogerzilla]

Actual deaths in pro cycling haven't reduced over the years (and I don't think there are more pro races; fewer, if anything).

 

[ChangFai]

Helmets.

 

[marzjennings]

All the cycling incident rates seem pretty flat for the last 10 year, so I don't think there's been an increase in crashes. Rather I think it's just a case of more cameras capturing accidents and it's easier to see crashes as they take place. Back in the day watching the TDF there would be may one camera focused on the leaders, maybe a second on the chasing group and the bit of helicopter footage. Now there are cameras everywhere and every crash is recorded.

 

[Sharky]

Did hear a theory that since CF bikes have become lighter, the centre of gravity of the rider/bike is higher, making crashes more likely.
A completely unfounded theory, but is my excuse for not splashing out on a CF bike.

 

[Anthony.R.Brown]

Now they are making videos about it! ?

Cycling Crashes And Saves 2020

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwVu-H1by2s

 

[roadrash]

There has been crash compilation videos around for a long time,

 

[Anthony.R.Brown]

There has been crash compilation videos around for a long time,

Yes some Sad people about!