The latest tragic demise of Gino Mäder in a crash on the Tour de Suisse has helped immediate extra security measures on the Tour de France, with CPA (Cyclistes Professionnels Associés) riders’ affiliation president Adam Hansen amongst these main the cost.
Hansen has been highlighting potential risks on the course and relaying the issues to the organisers ASO, who’re accountable for deciding on the Tour de France route. The end result has been a notable enhance in the usage of pads in potential hazard areas of descents, particularly the 2 downhill finishes of the Tour on stage 14 and stage 17.
It could be the primary time in historical past that riders have had a direct say in measures taken for his or her security. Cyclingnews spoke to the Australian about his efforts to learn the way he is completed a lot in a brief period of time as CPA president.
Hansen previewed two of the trickiest descents within the 2023 Tour de France and posted onboard movies from the downhill end off the Col de Joux Airplane (stage 14) and Wednesday’s descent from the Col de la Loze (stage 17) together with recommendation for riders.
He additionally confirmed with the ASO that there can be further padding in turns and appealed to riders to remain inside their limits.
Just a few hay bales and air pads could not forestall riders from crashing altogether, however Hansen stated: “These small issues might help loads. I actually do imagine this.”
Mäder’s crash was certainly one of a number of devastating incidents in recent times. With every demise or everlasting incapacity from a fall, the UCI appears to aim so as to add security measures however to date has solely supplied pointers to races. Most security guidelines in place apply to riders: for instance, helmet necessities had been added after the demise of Andre Kivilev in Paris-Good, and extra lately the UCI banned the super-tuck and discarding bidons besides in particular zones.
The UCI have been extra reluctant to make calls for of race organisers. After unstable obstacles on the end contributed to Fabio Jakobsen’s life-threatening accidents within the 2020 Tour de Pologne, the UCI lastly created requirements for obstacles however they had been solely strategies.
Hansen desires these pointers solidified into UCI guidelines.
“That is kind of how I obtained everybody’s consideration. Once I was talking to the riders, I might ask, ‘Do you know it is solely a suggestion to have these kinds of obstacles? It is not a rule’? This isn’t proper.”
He says organisers are largely receptive to bettering the protection of their infrastructure however are reluctant to take steps till the UCI give them guidelines to adjust to.
“The large organisers, they really have the funds and so they need to purchase some obstacles or make some obstacles, however they’re ready for the UCI to say which obstacles are good. They do not need to make an funding and have the UCI flip round and [define] a barrier that does not adjust to those that they’ve simply produced.”
The Tour de France organisers largely use flat-faced interlocking obstacles coated with signage for dash finishes however some occasions nonetheless use obstacles with curved ft that may catch a rider’s pedal.
“I do not agree on these pointers,” says Hansen. “And that is actually why I need to have the riders say, ‘we’re pleased with this’ and have the organisers say, ‘sure, we are able to do that’. After which UCI makes it a rule, and never a suggestion. And there will be no cause why the UCI won’t adjust to that. As a result of if the organisers say sure, and the riders demand it, then all of the accountability is left on them.”
Security for all
The Tour de France is essentially the most distinguished stage to check the protection measures however Hansen is considering a lot larger.
“It is good that it is taking place on the Tour de France however the aim is that this occurs in any respect races – that is the long-term aim. I had this dialogue a bit with a number of the male riders within the continental races and likewise with the feminine riders, too. There may be quite a lot of deal with the boys’s WorldTour. When it is a UCI rule, this trickles all the way down to the ladies’s races and it additionally trickles all the way down to the continental races. So first we now have obtained to indicate everybody that it could possibly occur and is feasible.”
There have been another teams working to assist make races safer and their expertise has popped up in high-profile races. Secure Biking Race rents out LED indicators that alert riders to visitors furnishings or tight turns, and BoPlan created plastic obstacles with none protrusions and which hold spectators additional again to stop collisions.
Mäder’s tragic demise in Switzerland positively highlighted the necessity for extra efforts to guard riders, however Hansen has made rider security his remit since working for president of the CPA.
“I went to the riders within the UAE Tour and I requested all of them what are the large three huge issues that basically nervous them and so they all stated the primary factor is security. So I stated I would work on this to be sure that security is improved. That is what the riders need and due to that I have been speaking to the organisers individually.”
Hansen has been gathering suggestions from riders on all method of subjects similar to how marshalls ought to warn riders of obstacles or narrowing, the place they need to be positioned, how far the final nook or descent ought to be from a dash end, how motorbikes ought to transfer previous the peloton, or how they need to drop again. He is additionally been working intently with Michael Rogers, the UCI Head of Innovation, who has been engaged on the primary steps of the new SafeR challenge.
“I’ve gathered all that info and I am drawing up a set of, to illustrate guidelines, after which I will go to the organisers and ask if that is attainable. After which as soon as I make an settlement then we go to the UCI and there is not any cause why this shouldn’t be carried out.”
He acknowledged that it could be tough to implement the type of security measures just like the blow-up pads on the descent from the Col de la Loze in each UCI race, or to observe all programs, however says the UCI must act and implement guidelines.
“If we do not assist maintain somebody accountable, then nothing’s going to be improved.”
After using the descent into Courchevel, Hansen described the end as “fairly wild” and was glad to see organisers tackle the hazards with a wall of big inflatable pads.
“It is a very slim street and my foremost concern after I did the recon is if you happen to had been to go over the sting, you actually landed in a rocky area, and it could not be fairly. I am actually glad that one thing like that is in place.”
A photograph of the large pads made the rounds on social media and has additionally attracted some consideration from race organisers.
“Lots of people have seen this on social media these padding areas … a reasonably large race known as the Czech Tour, they known as me up right now asking the place they’ll get the obstacles from and likewise that they want to have them of their race, too.
“My subsequent aim is to discover a firm that may produce these at a low value. And what’s good is that they’re blow-up ones. So it is what riders need. And so they use little area in transportation and I will try to get the sourced at a low value and provide them to the organisers.”
Hansen has been fairly vocal on social media about his concepts and efforts, which has made a number of the usually restrained biking actors nervous.
“Lots of people complain that there is not any transparency within the CPA. So I actually wished to indicate transparency in every thing that I do. And I really feel some persons are a bit bit afraid with how I act. However, in the event that they’re afraid, then which means they’re doing one thing incorrect. That is simply my opinion as a result of I am solely working for the higher good. So yeah, a bit outspoken. However I do not suppose I am saying something dangerous.”
Whereas the UCI works on its SafeR challenge – one thing that can inevitably be slowed down within the mire of paperwork, Hansen is forging forward along with his direct strategy.
“I had a rider attain out to me final evening in regards to the Vuelta, there is a downhill begin [on stage 12] and he gave some expertise from the previous on what occurs with these kinds of begins. So I will be contacting the Vuelta organiser in regards to the downhill begin.”
“We won’t change every thing in a single day, however issues are getting in an excellent course, that is for certain.”