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Videos: Safety in spotlight after fan incidents at VueltaVuelta 2017 Stage 12 spectator and moto crash.JPG

Videos: Safety in spotlight after fan incidents at Vuelta

Police officer pushes spectator into neutral service moto, mentally ill person knocks Katusha-Alpecin rider off bike
by Simon_MacMichael
Fri, Sep 01, 2017 12:29
12

The safety of riders, race followers and spectators at major bike races is in the spotlight again following two incidents at yesterday's Vuelta Stage 12 from Motril to Atenquera.

The first saw an overenthusiastic fan who was cheering on Trek-Segafredo's Alberto Contador apparently dive into the path of a neutral service motorbike, causing the pilot and his pinio passenger to fall off. Fortunately, no-one appears to have been injured.

The incident was caught on film from two angles, one of which shows that it was in face a police officer who pushed the fan into the path of the moto.

In a separate incident, the Katusha-Alpecin rider Maxim Belkov was pushed off his bike and over the barriers by a man who police said has a mental illness.

In a statement released through his team, Belkov said: "Through the Vuelta organisers I have received more details from the Guardia Civil about the incident that occurred yesterday on the Puerto del Torcal when a fan pushed me into the ditch.

"Apparently the man suffers from a mental disability. For me this is more than enough reason not to undertake any further action against him. 

"I am healthy and not injured, but it could have ended worse," Belkov added.

"Cycling is a very accessible sport. We need to keep it this way. I just hope that this incident will open the eyes of many fans.

"Please never touch the riders in the race, don't run alongside us and make sure to always properly supervise anyone under your care," he added.

Vuelta 2017
motos
spectators
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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12 comments

Avatar
Beecho | 7 years ago
0 likes

What's this Vuelta thing? Not seen it in the news section here...

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davel | 7 years ago
2 likes

Classy reaction from Belkov: all over and back on his bike in 40s, and nice statement afterwards.

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Scoob_84 | 7 years ago
0 likes

https://usatthebiglead.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/tcuy5xu-594x395.jpg?w=1000&h=665D_LR_z_TSbCWZUD-pp-YjV6D9hF-

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Scoob_84 | 7 years ago
0 likes

Tolo many guys being idiots and running up close to the riders trying to get spotted on TV is the real issue here. I hope they all get shoved into the verge by a copper

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SNS1938 replied to Scoob_84 | 7 years ago
0 likes

Scoob_84 wrote:

Tolo many guys being idiots and running up close to the riders trying to get spotted on TV is the real issue here. I hope they all get shoved into the verge by a copper

 

The guy pushed over by the cop into the motorcycle wasnt even close to Contador though, he was behaving like a reasonable fan who wanted to run for a few seconds. Definitely those who run too close beside or infront, they need a pull back from the rider, but not this guy. 

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CygnusX1 | 7 years ago
0 likes

simonmacmichael wrote:

causing the pilot and his pinio passenger to fall off

Do you mean pillion? Or is pinio to be found in the same dictionary as covfefe?

simonmacmichael wrote:

shows that it was in face a police officer

In fact?

Edit:

At least the lack of proof-reading on road.cc isn't as bad as this gaffe that slipped through at Cycling Weekly:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-41122033

 

 

Avatar
don simon fbpe | 7 years ago
3 likes

If they are Guardia Civil, as reported, then they're military and not police. And they can be the biggest twats in the world, especially the traffic division.

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dottigirl replied to don simon fbpe | 7 years ago
2 likes

don simon wrote:

If they are Guardia Civil, as reported, then they're military and not police. And they can be the biggest twats in the world, especially the traffic division.

True. When I worked in Spain, it went like this: do not fuck with the Guardia Civil. Do not argue with them, do not joke with them, do not accept a drink from them (or even buy them one), do not get their attention in any way, shape or form, if you can possibly avoid it. And if you piss them off, you're best leaving the country and never going back.

Same for the GNR in Portugal. Not worth messing with.

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alansmurphy | 7 years ago
1 like

Oops hadn't seen the first one - i like the way he goes and helps him up after (ooops do you think someone might be filming)...

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alansmurphy | 7 years ago
3 likes

I've seen more and better Police presence on this tour than any other, largely successful. 

 

Rumours are the spectator was autistic and not a huge deal that could have been done to prevent the incident - also people with autism don't wear a t-shirt telling you so. Sometimes the Police et al may not deal with them in the best way but it would be unlikely to have been done with any intent to harm.

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allgearnoidea replied to alansmurphy | 7 years ago
1 like

not the fans fault on this one at all! (first incident with the guy in green) - he was running alongside like most fans do and the muppet police officer full on pushed him across the road and into the path of the motorbike... might have used his noggin and pulled the chap back instead, police are bit heavy handed sometimes, but fans need to think of their safety too.

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don simon fbpe | 7 years ago
2 likes

Hope the Guardia Civil muppet get the correct level of bollocking.

Keep cycling accessible.

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