Cycling needs a safety revolution – but solutions are being implemented only hesitantly

And then it even hits the Tour de France superstar. Tadej Pogacar, three-time overall winner, crashes on the eleventh stage. Tobias Johannessen brings him down by changing lanes at the wrong moment. Pogacar escapes lightly, suffering only abrasions. A riding error that can happen – Pogacar later agreed. The next day, he confidently wins the first Pyrenees stage.

Pogacar's crash provides a welcome explanation for the Tour organizers and the UCI: The blame lies with the riders. It's often said in such cases that they are too nervous, too hectic, and too reckless in their pursuit of success, especially at the beginning of a Grand Tour.

That may be true in Pogacar's case. But UCI statistics contradict the theory that riders are primarily responsible for crashes. In 2024, the UCI counted 497 incidents at its races. Only about a third of these were due to rider error. The remaining causes were the route, external conditions such as road conditions or weather, or a combination of various factors.

Rocco Cattaneo, a former professional cyclist from Ticino, competed in races in the 1980s. Today, the former Swiss National Council member sits on the UCI Executive Board. Cattaneo represents the world governing body on the "SafeR" Commission, which includes representatives of teams, race organizers, and riders. The UCI acts as a mediator in this body. The commission was created following Gino Mäder's fatal accident at the 2023 Tour de Suisse. "We gather experience, seek solutions, and bring all parties together," says Cattaneo. Every crash is analyzed, and the causes are investigated.

The goal is to create a culture of safety in cycling, says Cattaneo: "This requires the participation of all stakeholders; the problem has many facets." For example, the roads have become more dangerous: more roundabouts, more speed-reducing barriers, more traffic islands. "It's becoming increasingly difficult for organizers to plan a safe course," says Cattaneo.

Last week, a fatal accident occurred at the Giro della Valle d'Aosta junior race. 19-year-old Italian Samuele Privitera lost control on a downhill ride due to a bump, crashed, lost his helmet, and later died in the hospital. He was reportedly traveling at approximately 70 kilometers per hour.

"The pace has increased," says Cattaneo. The riders are stronger, the stages shorter, the intensity higher. According to the UCI, the average pace in professional races has increased by 3 kilometers per hour since 2016. Teams are optimizing everything: In the past, only time trial specialists worked on their aerodynamics; today, almost every professional does it.

Bikes have also become lighter, jerseys more streamlined, and handlebars narrower. Disc brakes allow for delayed braking – which leads to faster speeds and increases the risk of crashes. According to the specialist portal "Pro Cycling Stats," 208 professional cyclists were injured in races in 2019, 324 in 2022, and 267 this season.

Jasper Philipsen's accident demonstrates how route planning, regulations, technology, and riding errors interact. The Belgian sprinter won the opening stage of the Tour de France and wore the yellow jersey. Two days later, he dropped out after colliding with a competitor during an intermediate sprint. Riding error? Perhaps. But intermediate sprints yield UCI points, which are crucial for smaller teams to climb the world rankings. These, in turn, determine the allocation of World Tour licenses—the sprints are accordingly fiercely contested.

The sprint race in which Philipsen crashed was held on a downhill course. The pace was horrendous. Philipsen suffered abrasions, a broken collarbone, and ribs. Who is to blame? The Tour organizers and the UCI say, of course, the professionals. The world governing body punished the person responsible for Philipsen's crash with a yellow card.

The UCI introduced this warning this season. Anyone deemed a safety risk by the commissaires will receive a yellow card. The rule also applies to the Tour de France team, sports directors, escorts, and reporters. Three yellow cards within 30 days result in a two-week suspension.

Before the Tour de France kicked off in Lille, professional cyclists expressed skepticism about the latest measure. Pogacar said: "I don't understand the rule. I think it's being applied inconsistently." The criticism highlights a fundamental problem: cycling has a safety deficit. Paces are increasing, crashes are on the rise – and the UCI is responding with yellow cards. It's punishing instead of preventing.

Cattaneo sees the cards as an educational measure to promote a culture of safety. This takes time. However, the UCI will make the awarding process more transparent and invest in the training of race stewards. At the same time, Cattaneo observes that young riders, in particular, take more risks but are less technically trained. "We have to start with training. They have to learn how to pilot the downhills."

In the past, the field often regulated itself, Cattaneo recalls. "On wet roads, top riders warned the others to be careful." Even unwritten rules were observed, such as not attacking on dangerous descents. "We have to get back to that," he says.

In addition to the yellow cards, the UCI has primarily implemented technical measures. Handlebars are no longer permitted to be as narrow as desired, and rim heights are limited to improve stability in crosswinds. Furthermore, signage is to be standardized at all races.

At the Road World Championships in Kigali at the end of September, the UCI plans to equip all riders with GPS trackers. Such devices were used for the first time at this year's Tour de Suisse at the initiative of the organizers, following the death of young rider Muriel Furrer at the 2024 World Championships in Zurich .

The "SafeR" commission is also considering airbags in helmets, but skiing has shown how long such an innovation can take. A survey shows that many professional cyclists are positive about the idea. But there are concerns: How heavy will the helmet be? How much will the rider sweat? "It will take months or years until a suitable model is found and the UCI can issue regulations," says Cattaneo.

A rapid safety revolution in cycling is therefore not in sight, neither from the UCI nor from event organizers or riders. However, the problem seems to be recognized everywhere – after at least five fatal accidents since 2023.

An article from the « NZZ am Sonntag »