Finlay Tarling killed in Volta a Portugal

[Dogtrousers]

"twitter scraping"? FFS. It's the sort of technique that might work if you're trying to crowdsource on a massive level, but everyone's watching the same streams, so you might as well just watch pro cycling.

The obvious point to start would be estimating underreporting - do some surveys of riders about car incidents and see how much it turns up you didn't know about. Use PCT/CT riders to make sure you've got small races covered. Cross reference with which races they've ridden. That's just your scoping.

Not a statistician or survey expert or sociologist or anything, but this really shouldn't be too difficult

I may be doing them a disservice. Maybe there are robust procedures around the bit where they say "Race commisaires or other UCI stakeholders can then add more incidents" Maybe things have moved on enormously since the link below (which is all I could find) was written.

https://incidentdb.sportsdatascience.be/#/

 

[matticus]

Interesting Facebook post on a thread about TofB suspension today:

"Yesterday , several of us had to man the junction from Papcastle on to Gote Road A5086, which was used twice on fast descents in to Cockermouth. We turned away more than a dozen cars who were trying to get around cockermouth and speed up to the roundabout where the riders were coming down at great speeds. It should have been blocked off really ,as it was so dangerous. so many drivers thought that they could just " pop up to the roundabout". Had several of us not been there, I dont know what would have happened. Not many realised that the road was being used twice, so thought they could just drive out."

... which to me is a reminder of the many many variables around racing on public roads.

 

[ivegotabike]

Interesting Facebook post on a thread about TofB suspension today:

"Yesterday , several of us had to man the junction from Papcastle on to Gote Road A5086, which was used twice on fast descents in to Cockermouth. We turned away more than a dozen cars who were trying to get around cockermouth and speed up to the roundabout where the riders were coming down at great speeds. It should have been blocked off really ,as it was so dangerous. so many drivers thought that they could just " pop up to the roundabout". Had several of us not been there, I dont know what would have happened. Not many realised that the road was being used twice, so thought they could just drive out."

... which to me is a reminder of the many many variables around racing on public roads.

I don't want to have to read about near misses like this. It is not OK.

I am very disappointed that the organisers are not doing better at keeping the course safe for the riders.

Alice Wood is the Race Director for the Women's race and I had high hopes that, as a former rider, she would be on top of it.

Jonny Clay, on the men's race, has more experience as a Race Director. Let's see.

 

[Blazing Saddles]

I don't want to have to read about near misses like this. It is not OK.

I am very disappointed that the organisers are not doing better at keeping the course safe for the riders.

Alice Wood is the Race Director for the Women's race and I had high hopes that, as a former rider, she would be on top of it.

Jonny Clay, on the men's race, has more experience as a Race Director. Let's see.

Easy for you to blame Alice Wood. The organisers faced multiple problems yesterday, due to incidents beyond their control. UK roads are swamped with traffic as so much of this country is urbanised.
The sad truth is that the only way complete rider safety can be guaranteed is, when significant problems arise, immediately cancel the race.
As for riders falling well behind the race convoy, they will have to be pulled out.

Drastic action, I know, as such measures impact the viability of the sport.

 

[Drago]

Having marshaled at some road and sportive events myself I can confirm that even when a road is firmly closed with tape, signs, and copies of lethe legal closure notice on display, some prat will force their way past. Last one I did some prat drove up the footway to access the closed road, hit a rider and broke the guys pelvis. Fortunately that wasnt the bit I was on.

That, and the rude and nasty behaviour of a small minority of the riders themselves, was enough that I steer well clear now.

 

[Dogtrousers]

In the last Ride London (Essex) in 2024, a rider was seriously injured by a hit and run from a vehicle on the course. Now, that's an all-day closure for a mass participation event, not a rolling closure for a race so quite different in detail, but similar in principle.

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...s-after-being-hit-by-car-driver-at-ridelondon

 

[Blazing Saddles]

Pross will remember this tragedy. His club were involved in the festival. My niece is quoted at the end. Her father was there, if I remember correctly.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-23260595

 

[ivegotabike]

It is not a matter of blaming Alice Wood personally, but she is the race director and the buck has to stop somewhere. The first responsibility of the race director is the safety of the event.

If race marshalls can't implement the rolling road closure, then the police must do it.

If the event can't meet the cost of doing it properly, it should not be run as a closed roads event.

Telling the riders they are in a safe rolling road closure when it turns out that they aren't is tremendously dangerous.

 

[gsk82]

Easy for you to blame Alice Wood. The organisers faced multiple problems yesterday, due to incidents beyond their control. UK roads are swamped with traffic as so much of this country is urbanised.
The sad truth is that the only way complete rider safety can be guaranteed is, when significant problems arise, immediately cancel the race.
As for riders falling well behind the race convoy, they will have to be pulled out.

Drastic action, I know, as such measures impact the viability of the sport.

Or tell them to ride like the roads are open just to get them to the finish? If they're that far behind they're not racing anyway.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Or tell them to ride like the roads are open just to get them to the finish? If they're that far behind they're not racing anyway.

Then it would no longer be racing

 

[Pross]

Pross will remember this tragedy. His club were involved in the festival. My niece is quoted at the end. Her father was there, if I remember correctly.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-23260595

I was RO for the event and was at the finish line less than a mile up the road. It was a bit different as it was open roads with an NEG escort and the van was travelling in the other direction (the road was fully closed for the finish after only one more vehicle had passed). Only organised one more event after that and decided it was no longer worth the stress and hassle.

 

[mjr]

Having marshaled at some road and sportive events myself I can confirm that even when a road is firmly closed with tape, signs, and copies of lethe legal closure notice on display, some prat will force their way past. Last one I did some prat drove up the footway to access the closed road, hit a rider and broke the guys pelvis. Fortunately that wasnt the bit I was on.

Yes, it's important not to underestimate the level of prat race organisers are trying to prevent. I've described in past posts seeing a motorist stop their car, get out, argue with the security guard and single-handedly try to move a concrete block (complete with loops out its top for the crane to pick it up) that was closing a major road for a pro race. And then after failing, crashing as he tried to bully his way back onto the road instead of waiting for a gap.

I also remember seeing a police motorcyclist at the Tour of Britain getting very shouty at a lorry driver who seemed really keen to "nip across" the race route. I don't think he reached into the cab, but I definitely remember him putting his motorcycle broadside across the mouth of the side road.

So well done to the fans at the junction near Cockermouth stopping those drivers trying to "pop up" past the ToB closures. I suspect the organisers can use all the help they can get.

 

[Gillstay]

People are nuts. I had a lady in 87 force her way past a copper and myself with shouts of you cannot tell me to stop to drive along the lane I was felling a 80 ft large Lime tree down. At this point the tree was not attached at the base, it was just hung up wobbling about in the wind free to drop at any moment. She was in a Volvo with kids. So cyclists will count for little.

 

[matticus]

I've only seen one post about it, but apparently Josh is starting La Vuelta.
EDIT oh hang on he came 3rd in today's Prologue - chapeau!

 

[No Ta Doctor]

I've only seen one post about it, but apparently Josh is starting La Vuelta.
EDIT oh hang on he came 3rd in today's Prologue - chapeau!

It was a full TT, not a prologue 9.4km, put in a really good ride