Rider and car (nearly) collide on the Koppenberg in the 1987 Tour of Flanders.
Every time I go riding, I know I subject myself to masses of cars and motorcycles, each of which has the potential to momentarily occupy the same space my bicycle and I are occupying, a physical impossibility that Nature will resolve via a messy process involving my death. I don’t know very much about the vehicles surrounding me or their drivers, apart from that they likely don’t know how vulnerable a Cyclist is, or how much longer it takes us to stop than it does them, particularly in the wet. I know that they don’t appreciate how fast a bicycle can travel, or that I likely can’t see or hear them coming up from behind, or that I don’t know whether they can see me at all or whether or not they will pull out in front of me even if they do. But I am certain that they don’t appreciate how lethal their vehicle is and I am even more certain that they are likely distracted; they might as well be pointing a loaded gun at me.
This reality comes with the territory of being a road Cyclist, and I accept that. I take every reasonable precaution I can to be safe, apart from not riding my bike in the first place; a life without Cycling on the road hardly seems like a life in the first place. I am also fortunate to have ridden as long as I have and that my experience has allowed me to develop a sort of sixth sense when it comes to recognizing which drivers are about to do something that will put me at risk. I accept the risk, I do whatever I can to control those factors I can, and hope for the privilege to return home safely and ready for The Next Ride.
I am terribly saddened by the death of Antoine Demoitie during Gent Wevelgem after being struck by a motorcycle involved with the race. I understand that motor vehicles are a part of the race, including for the purpose of providing live pictures for us, the fans. But I personally find it unacceptable that riders are being put at the same risk that we encounter on the street when we go out training. A bicycle race is already rife with danger; adding the risk of being hit by a car seems reckless.
I read Breaking the Chain shortly after it was first published. Apart from the shocking tale of drug use in the peloton, the story relays how many stimulants are used by the drivers in the following caravan. The notion that the bike race is packed to the gills with vehicles whose drivers are not only distracted and stressed out but are also intoxicated sends the imagination to dark, dark places. We will never be able to eliminate the risk of vehicles hitting riders, but we can certainly take measures to reduce their frequency. Race vehicles hitting riders isn’t new, but their occurrence have dotted race history with a frequency that makes the individual accidents noteworthy, the 1987 Tour of Flanders being a standout case. But it seems like every recent race involves an incident between a rider and a race vehicle, to the point that these accidents have even influenced the outcome of the race on several occasions. It all points to the fact that we’ve prioritized the publicity of the events over the safety of the riders. That prioritization is perverse and entirely in the race organizer’s control. It is time they take whatever measures necessary to minimize the risk to the riders who already stand to lose their lives without the help of the vehicles in the race.
On Sunday, Antoine was denied his Next Ride. Our thoughts and condolences go to his wife, family, and friends. Changing our approach to the motorcade will never bring Antoine back to life, but it can help us avoid repeating this tragedy. If the solution involves less live television coverage, then I’ll be the first to raise my hand and say I’ll happily give up the privilege of seeing the races live. I hope Antoine is the last rider to suffer his fate.
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Three deaths this weekend in cycling.... one at Wevelgem- Ghent ---run over by a moto
One via heart attack---- one via crashing into a guard rail--- RIP all ---
Still highly bothered by the moto incident ----
I agree with the premise in the article--- fewer motors in the race peloton and no live coverage is a VERY small price to pay ---- it's not like this has not happened before... Sagan got bumped prior to this one --- Can't begin to fathom how or why we need these 850 - 1000 LB 300++HP machines out there with a 12-15 lb race bike frame and 165 lb rider!!!!!! SHIT!!!! it should be obvious!!!!!!
@Buck Rogers
oh shit yeh, those days i decide to stick to bike paths because i'd rather it be a tangle with a pedestrian on their phone than a driver on their phone.
@Edwin
Yeah, a crash right in front of a passing moto from what I heard. It all works if EVERYONE holds their line when these motos pass the peloton at speed. It's racing so everyone can't always hold their line, shit happens. The moto passing has to be slowed down at least. It is a tragedy and one that was bound to happen. It's amazing Flecha and Hoogerland are still alive. Will anything change? That is the question.
@elbarto
Bike paths or roads with cars...I'm not sure which is more dangerous. I think I'm more fearful of bike paths.
I haven't written anywhere else, but I love the community hiding here. I can have a vent and know it will be taken seriously or pasted with just as much etiquette.
As a MOTO Commissaire in my day 'job' I found hearing of Antoine's death deeply disturbing. I see at every race the number of media bikes increasing, while the number of MOTO commissaires is a fixed thing, and has been for world tour races for a long time, the amount of support vehicles and indiscriminate media bikes (and cars) is multiplying.
Media used to have to be allowed the privilege of riding alongside the riders and the moto riders were very carefully chosen from professional riders (ex-police usually). Italy led the way with some serious rules on this shit.
However with the increase of the media attraction to our holiest of sports, there is no real qualification for the pilots of media motorcycles. Eurosport live cameras (BMW K1300GT's, with special fit-out) have very experienced riders and the boss of the bike cams this year takes no shit. The official bikes (usually numbering about only 6, but never at the same place in time or space such as the chalkie) are all qualified riders and hand picked, and have done this shit forever.
The indiscriminate photo-media bikes are reproducing like rabbits and as you have seen, can sometimes number 3-4 around a breakaway or race leader. add to this the MOTO Commissaire, the neutral spares, the chalkie and a couple of team cars and race directeur, and you have a recipe for disaster. These poor bastards have enough on their minds (the peloton being among them) to have to start dodging cars like they are on the Champs-Elysée any day other than the last week of July.
I formally call on ALL race organisers to limit the number of casual media bikes (those that aren't sponsored TV cams, that give us our lovely live HD feed) to TWO, and never to be within a bidon chuck of any cyclist or each other. All of the rest of the cars have their shit together, but these ratbags (fucking paparazzi is what one can call them) just get in the way and cause grief.
Do this and we should be fine, the odd unfortunate incident forthwith (you cant prevent everything). Right now it's just mental out there and Roubaix will be mayhem unless the organiser steps in this week and cuts the approved course vehicles down to what is needed, and used in years past.
As I said before I am deeply disturbed by what has happened, but it has been brewing for a while. We need to look at the realities of races and the roadspace, MOTO's are the best way to monitor and control a race, and to take TV. I've had a lot of shit stacked on me from a great height in the past few days, my next job is Sunday week (!) so it will be interesting to see how the day pans out.
Vive La Vie Velominatus!
@Buck Rogers
It's the driver that should be dragged out. The guy wearing the OJA (Orange instead of Yellow) also got lucky that day. Seeing the footage, I can see how the car hit Jesper as he almost stalled in front of the car, but no way the driver should have driven on. I presume he got banned for ever.
@ClydesdaleChris
Thanks for the true insights. Best of luck, and stay safe.
there's just no room on these roads, there are so many moto's in this race they are hard to count.
the winning move comes at 34km, there is a 2km gap in coverage from 36km, when they go the V is just awesome, I can't even begin to comprehend what that would have been like.
@ClydesdaleChris
Very well put, @ClydesdaleChris. Thanks. And very well written article, @Frank; thank you, too.
RIP, Antoine. Stay safe out there, people
@ClydesdaleChris
Yes. Thanks for this post. Seems like the obvious solution to remove all non-essential vehicles. I hope the UCI see it too but logic and reason don't always seem to be their strong suit.