crashes; more than there used to be?

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Brucey
Posts: 44521
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

crashes; more than there used to be?

Post by Brucey »

Now is it my imagination or are there more crashes in professional racing than there used to be? If so is it some or all of the following...?

a) There are too many vehicles in the pro race convoy now; rolling road closures mean constant overtakes by motorcycles

b) the race routes are worse than they used to be; potholes, road furniture, parked cars....

c) The standards of bike handling are worse for some reason; too many 'twitchy wheels' in the peloton

d) something about modern bike design means that it is difficult to ride a modern bike in a straight line

In recent days we have seen Peter Sagan (and others) collide with motorcycles in the Vuelta, in many cases ending their race for them.

Yesterday Cav hit a parked car in the ToB and that was the end of his race. It wasn't his first prang in the ToB either.

Whilst crashes in bad weather are inevitable, there seem to have been many more crashes than normal in the Vuelta and the Tour this year, even when there didn't seem to be a good reason for it.

Today there was a crash in the ToB in the middle of Wattisham airfield.... for no good reason... :roll: .

This article has some more reasons but even that is not the whole story;

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/five-reasons-why-there-are-more-bad-crashes-than-ever-in-pro-races/

what do you guys think?

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: crashes; more than there used to be?

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
The vehicles have no place being in the thick of it.
Even the race manager is insistent on being on the tail of the stage winner...........for what :?:
We need video but at a safe distance and placing, not stopped on a bend or overtaking without warning.....why so close so fast.
There needs to be a better system where the cyclist comes first and are protected.

Road hazards are not highlighted well enough.........just think enlarged road signs and a warning of a hazard like narrow / bend etc with a number countdown 200 - 100 50 metres etc not a Mr leather clad blobby with a six inch flag :?

As for pack cyclist bringing each other down this I think is partly pressure to perform on a whim from team orders via radio and some lack of basic riding skills due to overconfidence because they are pro riders, they may be fit but their particular downhill racing I find a bit................trying to find the word...............amateurish.
OK so I am being a bit harsh.
Some riders are over aggressive too, maybe a penalty involving a race ban like footballers........

Fans ................don't know on that one.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
nicmarsh
Posts: 276
Joined: 14 Sep 2011, 5:12pm
Location: SE UK

Re: crashes; more than there used to be?

Post by nicmarsh »

Maybe it is because they wear the helmet :shock:
Postboxer
Posts: 1929
Joined: 24 Jul 2013, 5:19pm

Re: crashes; more than there used to be?

Post by Postboxer »

Don't ban them, give them penalty weights. Someone on the race coverage of either the Vuelta or the Tour of Britain said that a veteran pro had suggested their is less respect within the modern peloton, that they're not taking care of each other and respecting each other like they used to.
mig
Posts: 2702
Joined: 19 Oct 2011, 9:39pm

Re: crashes; more than there used to be?

Post by mig »

lighter wheels with deeper rims?
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