Jonas Vingegaard warned about descent of Basque Country horror crash months ago, but organisers “never gave an answer”, claims Safe Cycling; Peta Cavendish joins Adam Hansen in calling out “voyeuristic” filming of crashed riders + more on the live blog

Days like these are what you dread as a cycling journalist, but at least what I’m glad about it is that there were no serious, life-threatening injuries (although there very well could have been, with riders going down into a concrete gutter at the bend), and all the teams with have released updates about the riders’ injuries. So as it stands:

• Initial reports said that Team Visma Lease a Bike’s Jonas Vingegaard suffered a broken collarbone and several broken ribs. The team has released another update this morning saying that the Dane also suffered a pulmonary contusion and pneumothorax (or a collapsed lung), but is “stable” and “had a good night” at the hospital.
• Soudal Quick-Step’s Remco Evenepoel suffered a broken collarbone and a fracture to his right scapula. The team said he will travel to Belgium today, where he will undergo an operation on his collarbone, and further examination, at the hospital in Herentals.
• TotalEnergies’ Steff Cras suffered a collapsed right lung, several associated rib fractures and two dorsal vertebral fractures, in addition to several hematomas, wounds and dermabrasions. The team informed that he’ll stay in hospital for a few days.
• UAE Team Emirates’ doctor said that Jay Vine suffered a heavy crash today during the race and sustained a cervical and two thoracic spine vertebral body fractures, but thankfully no other major injuries or head trauma. Vine is expected to stay in the hospital for neurological observation, with spinal orthopaedic assessment to take place soon.”
• Meidcal examinations showed that Bora-Hansgrohe’s Primož Roglič did not sustain any fractures, but bruises and abrasions.

While I know that any cyclist would take crashing on tarmac instead of the sharp, dangerous cobbles of Paris-Roubaix (as Matteo Jorgensen also pointed out yesterday), but with the Basque Country crash still burned into my memory, I can’t help but ignore the bad feeling I have about this new layout… Both fingers crossed and praying that I’m proven wrong.

But anyway, here’s another look at the not-at-all F1-style chicane the riders will have to navigate before entering the Forest of Arenberg on Sunday.

A chicane que antecede o Arenberg#parisroubaix pic.twitter.com/zgKBwxfawG

— O País Do Ciclismo (@opaisdociclismo) April 5, 2024

Two cyclists who were involved in a serious collision on a National Cycle Route, which left one of the riders requiring resuscitation after his heart stopped, have been found equally to blame for the crash by a judge, who said the cyclists were “travelling at twice the safe speed” and were oblivious to each other’s presence when the “inevitable” crash took place.

> “Speeding” cyclists equally to blame for serious collision on bike path, judge rules

Showing how it’s done! This little clip is from Valencia Street in San Fransisco, with group Safe Streets Rebel taking it to the streets to protest people using the bike lane as a loading bay. “‘While cars were loading in the bike lane, we paused car traffic to create a safe route for bikes,” they wrote.

Just a minute, be right back!

‘While cars were loading in the bike lane, we paused car traffic to create a safe route for bikes.’
~@safestreetrebel, Valencia Street in #SanFrancisco pic.twitter.com/EiMw3bH4L8

— Cycling Professor 🚲  (@fietsprofessor) April 5, 2024

Intermarché-Wanty’s Lilian Calmejane shared a few thoughts about yesterday’s crash on his Twitter, writing: “Everyone is looking for explanations for the numerous crashes. This might be a good time for our ‘oils’ to get things moving! The 36 handlebars, the radio, no sanctions (financial/suspension) for bad behaviours by a rider and of course the famous ‘final bottle’ that 80% take..”

Famous bottle here, referring to the caffeine gels cyclists gobble before getting on the bikes presumably (and maybe concocted with a few doses of crushed painkillers, the infamous, now-banned tramadol comes to mind). So much discussion going around with the crash, so many fingers being pointed and so many ideas floating around. What is your take on all this?

> Tour de France hit by tack attack, Lilian Calmejane calls out “morons” who endangered riders

Everyone is looking for explanations for the numerous crashes. This might be a good time for our “oils” to get things moving! The 36 handlebars, the radio, no sanctions (financial/suspension) for bad behaviours by a rider and of course the famous “final bottle 🧪” that 80% take..

— Lilian Calmejane (@L_Calmejane) April 4, 2024

He also shared his thoughts on rim vs disc brakes. A Twitter user commented: “Are disc breaks resulting in faster speeds, later breaking and greater risk taking knowing they can push the limits further? From disc breaks to aero bikes and clothing, I wonder if record average speeds are coming from speed going downhill as much as anywhere else?”

To which, Calmejane replied: “One hand you are true but in the other hand if you come back on rim brakes, was insane how dangerous that was with wet roads!”

While we’re grateful that most riders came out without any major life-threatening injuries, could the Itzulia Basque crash open the floodgates for more safety measures and clamping down on fuelling agents such as caffeine gels?

Because former Irish road champion and Vuelta stage winner Nicholas Roche has become the second person to target caffeine as one of the contributing factors for yesterday’s crash, after Lilian Calmejane.

Roche, who himself was involved in a pretty horrific crash in the 2019 Vuelta a España while wearing the leader’s jersey, said that he “never really recovered from this crash”. He retired from the road cycling two years later, and had a fairly successful spell on gravel, while also leading Trinity Racing as its DS in 2022.

But he said that these past years of his career had been “shaped” by the crash and “he’s still living with the consequences”.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Nicolas Roche (@roche_nicholas)

In an Instagram post, he wrote: “I remember my first years as a pro cyclist, I was thought to drop back 2k from the summit to get bottles that i would then work my way down and give on the descent to my teammates.

“Descending was made to recover. Refuel. Cycling has changed and already since a long time, evolution is also normal.

“It’s 3 years since I follow cycling from a different angle. I am not sure if in the bunch it didn’t look so bad although i admit been more scared in my last years.

“But I have come to fear for my friends racing. The speed is higher, the general level is higher, the battle for aero has also become on the edge of dangerous, the braking power is greater (meaning less reaction time behind to brake), riders ride closer, teams make the most of danger zones to put pressure, road furnitures are built to make vehicles go slower when cyclist are going faster… the stakes for victory are so high that riders are ready to risk it all. Crazy doses of caffeine(most gel contain caffeine).

“I feel for many years riders were blaming organisers, but was most time a rider fault. But organizers are also looking for more spectacular routes!

“I don’t believe there is one single reason to blame for causing all of these crashes. But every one and every thing plays a part.

“Crashes have been part of the sport, they created the drama but this is way out of hand. Its not normal that riders should risk there life if they hope to perform Hopefully the sport can work all together to provide a safer job.”

Evenepoel’s speed entering yesterday’s turn: 78.2km/h. #Itzulia2024 pic.twitter.com/ukvEMiz1yK

— Luc Grefte (@LucGrefte) April 5, 2024

The corporate drama at Scott Sports continues, as police were called to the bike and sportswear company’s headquarters this week over a “dispute between managers” – just days after CEO Beat Zaugg refused to accept the company’s decision to dismiss him, sparking a bizarre power struggle within the higher echelons of the Swiss-based brand.

> Police called to Scott Sports HQ over “dispute between managers” as corporate power struggle continues

Exorcising the ghosts of yesterday, or maybe more like shoving them to the side, racing resumed today in the Basque country, Mattias Skjelmose of Lidl-Trek now riding in the lead after the crash took the top two, Roglič and Evenepoel out.

And the finish was a fiercely contested sprint finish with a photo finish for the ages, leaving commentators (and your live blog host) stumped on who won at the bike throw!

Ultimately, it was Romain Grégoire of Groupama FDJ who won by the merest of margins, beating out Orluis Aular (who me and Carlton Kirby both thought had won instead), and Max Schachmann.

𝙋𝙃𝙊𝙏𝙊 𝙁𝙄𝙉𝙄𝙎𝙃! 📸

Romain Gregoire wins the penultimate stage of Itzulia Basque Country by the 𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙨𝙩 of margins! 🤏🏁#Itzulia2024 pic.twitter.com/TeKiQUMZyc

— Eurosport (@eurosport) April 5, 2024

The dialectic nature of the reaction to yesterday’s crash seems to be never-ending, and now in contrast to Peta Cavendish and Adam Hansen’s remarks of criticising the TV direction for showing images of crashed riders, Ineos Grenadier’s Dutch cyclist Thymen Arensman’s father Martjin has said that he’d much rather see the riders on broadcast than cut away.

> “If I was not wearing a helmet, I don’t know if I would still be here”: Ineos rider Thymen Arensman thanks helmet after brutal crash ruling him out of Vuelta a España

Responding to a fan who had said that showing such dreadful images on broadcast was “disgraceful”, Martjin said: “I don’t agree, how disgraceful it seems for you. When my son crashed last year for us it was better and less stressful to see and view the situation than no nothing at all. In Thymen’s case the impact was mild but the view was the same on a stretcher and breathing support.”

I don’t agree, how disgraceful it seems for you. When my son crashed last year for us it was better and less stressful to see and view the situation than no nothing at all. In Thymen’s case the impact was mild but the view was the same on a stretcher and breathing support.

— Martijn Arensman (@mwarensman) April 4, 2024

The fan seemed to take Martjin’s response in a constructive way, saying: “Fair enough, you’d certainly know better than me. Thanks for sharing your experience. I remember that crash, was really really horrible”

Sometimes, you don’t need a lot of words to be eloquent, as we can all learn from Aussie Welsford.

Arenburg.. still shit. https://t.co/7vpDaBjJA5

— Sam Welsford (@sam_welsford) April 5, 2024

What about the chicane right before the Arenberg cobbles, you ask?

Even shitter

— Sam Welsford (@sam_welsford) April 5, 2024

The crashes just won’t stop eh? After a day mired with the horrific crash, Itzulia Basque has claimed more victims in today’s stage five, with two riders from Soudal Quick-Step and Movistar each.

With around 94km to go, Mikel Landa, Gil Gelders, Gonzalo Serrano and Pelayo Sanchez were involved in a crash, with all four being forced to withdraw from the race. Landa, however, came off the worst (from what we know so far), violently falling on his left shoulder against the asphalt. It seemed like a repeat of yesterday’s horror images once again, with Landa left unable to move and being stretchered off into an ambulance.

Quick-Step has now confirmed that the Spanish cyclist has suffered a fractured collarbone. “He will now undergo further investigation to determine the best path for his recovery,” the team concluded.

Collarbone fracture for @MikelLandaMeana after the crash in which he was involved on the penultimate stage of #Itzulia2024.

Read more about it and join us in wishing him a speedy recovery: https://t.co/gaAuljh5ob

Photo: @GettySport pic.twitter.com/a17zvAM5Xj

— Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (@soudalquickstep) April 5, 2024

Pack it up! We’re now in the timeline with gravel bikes in Roubaix!

> Israel-Premier Tech to race gravel bikes at Paris-Roubaix

The images that came out of yesterday’s crash were chilling to the bone, but wasn’t showing them live on the broadcast a step too far? At least Ryan and I thought so, and perhaps so did a couple of broadcasters who cut the footage at the time of the crash.

And while updates on injured riders is paramount, for fans yes, but most importantly for the families and loved ones of the cyclists, the lingering camera on Roglič, Cras and Vingegaard as they lay in the concrete gutter wasn’t just horrifying, some might say it felt wrong too.

Adam Hansen, President of the riders’ union CPA, raised this issue on Twitter last evening, writing: “Out of respect of riders that have fallen in a crash and their families at home. The CPA does not support TV coverage to continue to film them while they are down. Riders have reached out to me asking if we can make this a rule and we support that. Please be mindful.”

They always repeat. But in this case, the race was neutralised for 20 minutes, and it was 20 minutes over and over of showing images of riders, and at the same time, I have pros at home messaging me. This has to be band.

— Adam Hansen (@HansenAdam) April 4, 2024

Meanwhile, Mark Cavendish’s wife Peta also shared her thoughts on social media. She said: “There is a lot of conversation around the lingering camera shots of motionless riders and endless repeats of the crashes.

“I know that some families of riders have shared that they find it helpful as it’s the only updates they receive. I hear that. The wait for information seems an eternity. However, I for one would rather not play voyeur to the fragility of a human life. A spectator to a families pain and anguish.

“I don’t believe ‘it’s just part of the sport.’ It’s something I have said many times before. It is not the same in all sports. It’s not just the distress it can cause as it’s watched in real time. But also the weight it can hold in the future.

“Remember, these are not actors. There are no retakes. No scripted happy ending… yet still the cameras roll. Uncertain as to what title time will give the sequence. I have been the wife with children in arms watching, flinching at every repeat.

“I don’t no speak for everyone. But… Let’s remember, this footage is not for information, for facts or vital sporting updates. It’s for ratings. For clicks, for views.”

That is not the point. When it’s your family member or friend laying there.

— Peta Cavendish (@petatodd) April 5, 2024

Responding to someone who argued that they would have liked close-up footage or commentary “to know that they are alive”, Peta replied: “With the greatest of respect and I truly hope my sentiment doesn’t get lost in written word…It’s not about what you would have liked. It’s about respect for the ‘lifeless rider’ and their family.”

After the horror crash at Tour of Basque Country yesterday that stopped many cycling fans in their tracks, and causing a long list of terrible, unfortunate injuries in the peloton, including Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel, Primož Roglič, Jay Vine, Steff Cras and more, reports have kept trickling over the night.

While no one is seriously hurt according to reports from numerous pro teams, the toll of the injuries caused to so many riders was once again laid bare as the heavy price of this beautiful and enjoyable sport.

One of the bits of information to have come out is from Safe Cycling, an organisation based in Norway that specialises in making pro cycling safer with proper signage, while also aiming to become a bridge between riders and race organisers.

🇳🇴 Markus Laerum, CEO Safe Cycling

🗣️ “The images were horrible, but above all very frustrating as Jonas Vingegaard had warned us already half a year ago about that descent. We reached out to the race organisers to discuss the topic, but never got an answer.”#Itzulia2024 pic.twitter.com/aBZpDz8WOy

— Domestique (@Domestique___) April 5, 2024

Domestique reports that its CEO Markus Laerum said: “The images were horrible, but above all very frustrating as Jonas Vingegaard had warned us already half a year ago about that descent. We reached out to the race organisers to discuss the topic, but never got an answer.”

Meanwhile, Pello Bilbao claimed that although there was a bump in the road, adding to what Euskaltel-Euskadiko rider Mikel Bizkarra had said earlier about riders being in the danger to fly off if they don’t keep their hands tightly on the handlebar.

Pello Bilbao confirms what @MikelBizkarra said earlier, there is a bump in that corner due to tree roots under asphalt and he said the peloton went too fast. Bizkarra added that if you don’t keep firmly your handlebars, it’s easy to jump in the air. Mystery solved. #Itzulia2024 https://t.co/l3xwEvVB8V

— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) April 4, 2024

Bilbao said in a post-race interview: “No one wants the race to be lacklustre, so they want us to go through some flashy routes. But the point where they fell, it looked very bad. I think that we cyclists also have to reflect ourselves that perhaps we re the ones who create the danger… maybe we’ve gone too far. And well, that turn needed to be reviewed, because the asphalt is uneven due to some roots.”