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‘Irresponsible’ triathletes banned from Human Race events for passing horse at speed

Police are still investigating

Two participants in the Royal Windsor Triathlon have been banned from future events organised by Human Race after they passed a horse at speed – an incident that was branded “completely irresponsible” by Cycling UK. One participant has been banned for 12 months and the other for life, while a police investigation into the incident continues.

Video footage from the June 17 event showed a number of cyclists closely passing a horse and rider on both sides at significant speed. One of the riders reportedly made contact as he passed.

Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK’s head of campaigns, commented: “Their behaviour, whether through ignorance or thoughtlessness, was completely irresponsible, and endangered the horse, the rider and themselves.”

A statement from Human Race states: “We believe we have identified two individuals at fault, but we won’t be revealing further details or sharing their identities, as this is a police matter.

“One cyclist will receive a lifetime ban from all Human Race events, a 2nd (who did come forward after the incident) will receive a 12 month ban from all of our events.

“As the investigations are still ongoing this is pending any further information or mitigating circumstances that may come to light in the future. We are liaising with British Triathlon, who will be responsible for taking their own actions.”

Human Race also announced a series of measures which will hopefully prevent similar incidents in the future.

These include improved signage to ensure all road users are aware of the event; direct contact with stables, polo clubs, etc. ahead of the event, warning them it is taking place; and improved education for participants and the wider cycling and triathlon community about the Highway Code and the likelihood of horses (or other users) being on the road.

The last of those will involve specifically communicating the relevant details of the Highway Code to ensure riders are informed of what to do and how to keep everyone safe in a similar situation, and also the creation of an educational communication plan focusing on how best to deal with similar situations.

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40 comments

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Mungecrundle replied to jlebrech | 6 years ago
8 likes
jlebrech wrote:

"banned from the human race", bit harsh

Triathletes, not really members of the human race to start with.

I was one.

Avatar
Yorkshire wallet replied to Mungecrundle | 6 years ago
3 likes

Mungecrundle wrote:
jlebrech wrote:

"banned from the human race", bit harsh

Triathletes, not really members of the human race to start with. I was one.

Did you evolve or devolve into a cyclist? 

Avatar
Woldsman replied to Yorkshire wallet | 6 years ago
8 likes

Yorkshire wallet wrote:

Did you evolve or devolve into a cyclist? 

Revolve. 

Avatar
SteppenHerring replied to jlebrech | 6 years ago
2 likes

Quote:

These include improved signage to ensure all road users are aware of the event; direct contact with stables, polo clubs, etc. ahead of the event, warning them it is taking place;

So, like BC races then.

I'm still pretty sure that triathlons do not conform to the Cycle Racing on the Highways regulations.

Avatar
Mdickson73 replied to jlebrech | 6 years ago
1 like
jlebrech wrote:

"banned from the human race", bit harsh

I hope that was meant to be a joke. They deserve to. Be banned from the sporting event the human race. And as others have said its a shame only one has admitted to it.

Avatar
Hirsute replied to Mdickson73 | 6 years ago
5 likes

Mdickson73 wrote:
jlebrech wrote:

"banned from the human race", bit harsh

I hope that was meant to be a joke. They deserve to. Be banned from the sporting event the human race. And as others have said its a shame only one has admitted to it.

Obviously it was a play on article's title.

 

No doubt police will have a word as per http://road.cc/content/news/244450-near-miss-day-159-driver-towing-horse...

 

Avatar
ClubSmed replied to Mdickson73 | 6 years ago
0 likes

Mdickson73 wrote:
jlebrech wrote:

"banned from the human race", bit harsh

I hope that was meant to be a joke. They deserve to. Be banned from the sporting event the human race. And as others have said its a shame only one has admitted to it.

It seems to me a fairly obvious play on the wording of the organisation "human race" also being a term for the species that us humans belong to. Being banned from the species would be a bit harsh for such an incident would it not?

Avatar
Yorkshire wallet replied to ClubSmed | 6 years ago
3 likes

ClubSmed wrote:

Mdickson73 wrote:
jlebrech wrote:

"banned from the human race", bit harsh

I hope that was meant to be a joke. They deserve to. Be banned from the sporting event the human race. And as others have said its a shame only one has admitted to it.

It seems to me a fairly obvious play on the wording of the organisation "human race" also being a term for the species that us humans belong to. Being banned from the species would be a bit harsh for such an incident would it not?

'whoosh' is a just a fact of life on the internet.

Avatar
CygnusX1 | 6 years ago
10 likes

Good. But shouldn't the ban come from British Triathlon Federation rather than the race organiser?

No doubt police investigation will result in a prosecution leading to sentence more severe than that handed out to motorists for killing cyclists though /cynic mode.

Avatar
madcarew replied to CygnusX1 | 6 years ago
0 likes

CygnusX1 wrote:

Good. But shouldn't the ban come from British Triathlon Federation rather than the race organiser?

This is from the race organsiers. One imagines BTF is doing their own investigation and will impose their own sanctions later on if they feel that's appropriate. This is kind of like ASO banning Froome fromn the tour (which they can do independently of UCI) while waiting for UCI to make their own enquiries

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