PARIS: The president of French professional cyclists’ union (UNCP) on Thursday called on the UCI, the world governing body, to take “responsibility” for making the sport a safer place.
Pascal Chanteur said he was “angry” about the recent spate of high speed crashes which have seen three of the world’s top riders land in hospital in the last week.
“Do we have to wait for the umpteenth death? For a rider to have both legs cut off and lose his life, so that people become aware? If that’s the idea, we’re not far off,” Chanteur told AFP.
After Wout van Aert broke his collarbone and several ribs in a high-speed mass fall during last week’s Around Flanders one-day race, there was further carnage on the Tour of the Basque Country on Thursday.
Two-time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard was taken to hospital after suffering broken bones and lung damage during a crash which also took out Remco Evenepoel, who also suffered a broken collarbone.
“I’m not saying that the UCI is responsible but they do have a responsibility to take the full measure of our recommendations to make progress on safety,” said Chanteur.
“For example, we’re perfectly capable of reducing speeds by changing tires. Why can Formula 1 do it and we can’t?
“We’re the only sport that doesn’t know how to adapt, and we’re still killing people.”
Chanteur said the increased number of crashes was in part due to an increasing amount of “street furniture” but was caused principally by the “increasingly avant-garde” materials used in making the bikes.
“Carbon is light and very rigid, so there’s no room for error,” he said. “Wheels and tires are nothing like those used in the past. Drama can happen at any moment.
“Disc brakes in racing are too dangerous. The same applies to the gear ratios used. Today, we use 56x10. They’re going 80 km/h downhill, even though they’re almost naked. When there’s a fall, you have no way of escaping.”
UCI president David Lappartient told AFP that the question of disc brakes was one that deserved discussion.
“It’s a subject we want to put back on the table,” he said. “There’s no such thing as a taboo subject.
“Equipment is obviously an issue. Bikes have made an extraordinary leap forward.”
Lappartient, however, also intimated the riders were themselves partly to blame for the crashes.
“Fifty percent of the falls are due to their attitude,” he said.
“I’m not here to say it’s their fault. It could be a moment of inattention.
“But that’s also why we want to introduce a principle of yellow and red cards this year, like in soccer, so that dangerous attitudes are better punished.”
Chanteur, meanwhile, said the peloton has been “angry” at the current situation since Fabio Jakobsen’s life-threatening accident at the 2020 Tour of Poland but the cyclists were powerless to speak out.
“It’s not easy for a rider to say what I say,” said the 56-year-old former journeyman professional cyclist.
“They’re salaried employees and the main financial backers of cycling are still the cycle brands.
“I’m pointing the finger at these people (the cycle manufacturers).
“It’s up to them to decide whether they want to continue having accidents on their conscience, or even deaths.”
Cycling ‘still killing people’ says angry union boss
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Cycling ‘still killing people’ says angry union boss
- Pascal Chanteur said he was “angry” about the recent spate of high speed crashes which have seen three of the world’s top riders land in hospital in the last week.
- “We’re the only sport that doesn’t know how to adapt, and we’re still killing people“
Inter continue Scudetto march after Champions League humbling
- Milan will be favorites to win at Cremonese in Sunday’s early fixture, with the local rivals set to face off next weekend in a match which will in all likelihood have little impact on the destination of the Scudetto
MILAN, Italy: Inter Milan bounced back from Champions League elimination with Saturday’s 2-0 win over Genoa which continued their march toward the Serie A title.
Federico Dimarco’s brilliant volley just after the half-hour mark and Hakan Calhanoglu’s second-half penalty were enough for Inter to extend their already huge lead over AC Milan at the top of the table to 13 points.
Milan will be favorites to win at Cremonese in Sunday’s early fixture, with the local rivals set to face off next weekend in a match which will in all likelihood have little impact on the destination of the Scudetto.
Inter, whose fans unloaded a collection of anti-Milan chants in anticipation of the derby, have dropped just two points in 15 league matches and have been a cut above the rest in Italy’s top flight this season.
Their domestic dominance comes in stark contrast to the humiliating manner in which they were dumped out of the Champions League by Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday night.
A 5-2 aggregate defeat to the Norwegian minnows cast doubts over not just the quality of Cristian Chivu’s team but of Italian football as a whole.
There was plenty of quality in Dimarco’s opener however, the Italy full-back beautifully placing a first-time finish from a tight angle after exchanging passes with Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Little else happened in a humdrum encounter until Alex Amorim handled a cross from Luis Henrique, whose shot had been tipped onto the post just moments before.
Calhanoglu calmly stroked home the spot-kick on his return to action following niggling muscle problems which have caused him issues since before Christmas, sealing the points for Inter.
Big Rom back
Romelu Lukaku kept Napoli on course for a Champions League spot with a last-gasp winner in the champions’ 2-1 victory over rock-bottom Verona, the Belgium forward’s first goal of the season.
Lukaku forced home Giovane’s cross to snatch the win for third-placed Napoli with the last kick of the game at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi.
Napoli had looked like dropping points in northern Italy when Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro levelled Rasmus Hojlund’s early opener in the 65th minute.
But Lukaku, who only played his first game of the season in late January, gave Napoli a huge win with both Como and Atalanta pushing for a top-four placing.
“I was a dead player before coming here,” said Lukaku to DAZN.
“This season has been difficult, but we’ve got to aim high.”
Napoli’s title defense is all but over as they trail Inter by 14 points after an injury-ravaged season.
Napoli were missing key midfielders Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne and Andre-Frank Anguissa on Saturday, as well as captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
Verona, under interim coach Paolo Sammarco following the sacking of Paolo Zanetti earlier this month, are 10 points from safety after a 12th straight match without a win.
Como, who face Inter in the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals on Tuesday, strolled to 3-1 victory over strugglers Lecce to continue their push for a first-ever qualification for European football.
Cesc Fabregas’s team are two points behind Roma, in fourth and Juventus’ opponents on Sunday, and five behind Napoli.
Como are also two points ahead of sixth-placed Juve who face Roma trying to stay in touch with the Champions League places after being eliminated from Europe’s elite club competition by Galatasaray on Wednesday.
