Rider Safety - time to act?

[Flying_Monkey]

The UCI has promised to investigate...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-to-investigate-basque-tour-crash-stetina-undergoes-surgery

 

[psmiffy]

The investigation will do little to help Stetina recover from his injuries, which included a fractured patella and tibia repaired by the surgery, and four broken ribs that could not be treated.

 

[oldroadman]

I can remember seeing that sort of thing protected by bales wrapped in red and white plastic bags on the TDF - Failure of the organisation at the local level ? - and I would of thought it would of been something that the teams would have highlighted on their recce

In a stage race teams don't normally have time or resource for a "recce". You read the road book and generally it's got all the info you need. With a crowded schedule (up to 3 teams and sets of support staff out at any one time, all at different races) time is not available apart from selected classics and crucial stages of the grand tours, plus a few others if time permits. You have to have some trust the organisers do the right thing, and in this case that trust was not fulfilled.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Playing "chicken" with TGV isn't very safe

 

[ColinJ]

Playing "chicken" with TGV isn't very safe

That could easily have ended in tears!

 

[oldroadman]

Playing "chicken" with TGV isn't very safe

Is this about the stupid "lets go round/under the barriers" nonsense that got people DQ'd last year. And then they complained about the commissaires making the proper decision - I believe they got some hefty fines too (have to check UCI regs for that, but it will probably be expensive). Idiots, at least they were lucky enough to be alive to complain! You can't believe how daft some people are.

 

[ColinJ]

Is this about the stupid "lets go round/under the barriers" nonsense that got people DQ'd last year. And then they complained about the commissaires making the proper decision - I believe they got some hefty fines too (have to check UCI regs for that, but it will probably be expensive). Idiots, at least they were lucky enough to be alive to complain! You can't believe how daft some people are.

It's about them doing it again at Paris-Roubaix this afternoon!

 

[oldroadman]

It's about them doing it again at Paris-Roubaix this afternoon!

Just seen this on a recording (I missed the early part). Absolutely crazy, rider v. TGV, no contest. Commissaires with some courage should have used the DQ (provided they knew the correct numbers). I wonder what the gendarme was thinking as he tried to keep the riders safe. The rule says you must not pass a closed barrier. It's quite clear. Maybe it should be re-written to say no passing a flashing warning light at a level crossing. I just hope the UCI rule makers see this and have a look at the rule, and also have some serious words with the commissaires.

 

[Arrowfoot]

An interesting article. The UCI can't be responsible for everything that happens at every race. That's simply impossible. this was an appalling mistake by the organisers and they have to confront that. The finishes are built be barrier team who should be under supervision of race administration/organisation. So if the finger points at anyone, it's the organisation for failing to comply with the UCI regs, and whoever was in charge of the finish area build is simply directly responsible. As for having someone standing in front of the poles with a whistle, would you do it? I'm sure I would not ask anyone to stand there when a peloton comes round a bend flat out for the line. That would be almost suicidal. What should have happened was a barrier line (and padding if necessary) should have been installed rider side of the barriers. At least if someone crashed then it's barriers, not great lumps of metal screwed into the road!

All the main Sporting Bodies from FIFA, FINA , IAAF etc all have their own inspectors on site to ensure that any setup passes the required standards. How else would you uphold standards in your sport. I always assumed that UCI follows the international practice that other Sporting Bodies follow. Even Cricket is the same.

I do recall a World Junior Marathon in Perth where the course was short by 10 Kms or so (can't recall exactly) but mistakes like this do occur and that is why you need a second party with expertise for oversight and final approval. Ever heard of Squash Courts flooring laid horizontally rather than vertically.

Thank god no one was killed.

 

[ColinJ]

Just seen this on a recording (I missed the early part). Absolutely crazy, rider v. TGV, no contest. Commissaires with some courage should have used the DQ (provided they knew the correct numbers). I wonder what the gendarme was thinking as he tried to keep the riders safe. The rule says you must not pass a closed barrier. It's quite clear. Maybe it should be re-written to say no passing a flashing warning light at a level crossing. I just hope the UCI rule makers see this and have a look at the rule, and also have some serious words with the commissaires.

I felt horribly apprehensive that we were about to get a bird's eye view of a bunch of pro cyclists killed by a train!

I too think that it should be a rule which is ruthlessly enforced, if necessary using the TV pictures for evidence. In the heat of the race, riders seem willing to take the chance. If they know that they will definitely be kicked off the race, then that should give them pause for thought.

 

[The Couch]

I was thinking that because just about the whole peloton crossed, the organizers wouldn't take anyone out.
(otherwise you're left with the front group and a bunch of 25ish riders that didn't weren't able to cross... and which organizer wants Rast or Saramotins as winner?)

However, they did had another explanation (which - if true - I can find some level of understanding in):

They said that about 10m before the peloton wanted to cross the railway the bell started ringing.
You can't expect a peloton that is doing about 50K/h to completely go into the breaks on such a short distance. Since this extreme braking would cause bumping/falls which would probably cause the first riders to potentially being pushed onto the rails, making it even more dangerous (then intentionally crossing).

Only thing is.... I find it hard to believe the first piece:
If you look at the images, you can clearly see that the beams are already going down when Sky goes under/through them (Sky was at that point leading the peloton). So either the bell and the-beams-going-down happens extremely rapidly after each other in France or either the peloton took a long time over that 10m.

As said, if the situation is really as suggested above (the peloton being extremely close when bell rings), I do understand that the first guys aren't going to break... and - unfortunately- the riders following them (top-athletes in search of a great performance/victory) aren't going to let the guys who already passed the railway "escape" (I assume that in the middle of the heat, people aren't thinking clearly and just think "don't get dropped now").

However, I don't buy it here... I believe the peloton was far enough out to still - somewhat safely - break in time

 

[The Couch]

The SNCF (French railways) will file a formal complaint against unknowns

 

[oldroadman]

All the main Sporting Bodies from FIFA, FINA , IAAF etc all have their own inspectors on site to ensure that any setup passes the required standards. How else would you uphold standards in your sport. I always assumed that UCI follows the international practice that other Sporting Bodies follow. Even Cricket is the same.

I do recall a World Junior Marathon in Perth where the course was short by 10 Kms or so (can't recall exactly) but mistakes like this do occur and that is why you need a second party with expertise for oversight and final approval. Ever heard of Squash Courts flooring laid horizontally rather than vertically.

Thank god no one was killed.

The sporting bodies mentioned have sports where they are (mainly) on a fixed facility. Inspection is a straightforward matter. It's a bit different when road routes are in use, but your point has merit. It should not be difficult to insist that an inspection of the last 3km is done, with a view to ensuring rider hazard is minimised. Though some Italian races with town centre finishes are a bit challenging! That said, this is road racing and roads have hazards - not that it in any way excuses the Basque Tour appalling cock-up - and how far do we go? Remove cobbled sections, road humps, road furniture (watch Amstel next Sunday for that, Netherlands is a nightmare for it, always was). The metal poles were avoidable, and should have been sorted out, but when on a road, there are things that have to be dealt with, and that is part of the job for a road rider.

 

[Arrowfoot]

The sporting bodies mentioned have sports where they are (mainly) on a fixed facility. Inspection is a straightforward matter. It's a bit different when road routes are in use, but your point has merit. It should not be difficult to insist that an inspection of the last 3km is done, with a view to ensuring rider hazard is minimised. Though some Italian races with town centre finishes are a bit challenging! That said, this is road racing and roads have hazards - not that it in any way excuses the Basque Tour appalling cock-up - and how far do we go? Remove cobbled sections, road humps, road furniture (watch Amstel next Sunday for that, Netherlands is a nightmare for it, always was). The metal poles were avoidable, and should have been sorted out, but when on a road, there are things that have to be dealt with, and that is part of the job for a road rider.

No, Marathon, Triathlons etc

 

[w00hoo_kent]

As said, if the situation is really as suggested above (the peloton being extremely close when bell rings), I do understand that the first guys aren't going to break... and - unfortunately- the riders following them (top-athletes in search of a great performance/victory) aren't going to let the guys who already passed the railway "escape" (I assume that in the middle of the heat, people aren't thinking clearly and just think "don't get dropped now").

If the worry is advantage (and lets face it, who wouldn't bet on a team getting the train schedules and working out the pace they need to get to the level crossing at just the right point if it was a guaranteed break away chance?) then surely they neutralise the race on the other side of the level crossing to negate the advantage? That way there's no point in risking being run over by a train.