In recent days there was again a lot of criticism about the passivity of the cyclists union CPA after the heavy crash of the Dutchman Fabio Jakobsen in the Tour of Poland. Today the union, led by former cycling champion Gianni Bugno, responded after all.
“We wrote to the UCI on Thursday to open an investigation to indict those who could not guarantee the safety of the riders,” the CPA said. It was also asked to avoid downhill finishes and to punish riders who cause incidents more severely.
“We want the UCI to implement tighter controls. We cannot hope or trust that organizers will act correctly. Stricter rules are needed. We are happy that Fabio Jakobsen has been able to awaken, but it remains unacceptable that in WorldTour events such accidents happen and riders risk their lives. We all have to finally work on a vision. Otherwise nothing will ever change. ” The cyclists’ union has not yet received a reply from the UCI to her letter.
The CPA also stressed that it has no power to change a finish if the UCI Technical Commission has already approved that finish. “We are not responsible for the security checks,” explained Bugno. “Let me make this clear after the many criticisms we have received in recent days. We are only the last link in the chain.”
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The cyclists union also bite away. “After all that criticism, I also ask myself why teams, when they see the race schedules, let their riders start when they think their safety is not guaranteed.”
Especially Deceuninck-Quick Step manager Patrick Lefevere has been furious against the CPA in recent days. “I have now called Patrick Lefevere”, Bugno continued. And I reminded him that we cannot change the rules on our own. Teams have significant power and must use it. They are not doing that at the moment. We as the CPA have been campaigning for safe crush barriers for years, but our questions remain unanswered. the UCI. It will cost the organizers more, but a cyclist’s life is still worth a little more. If the current people in charge of safety are not working properly, they must be replaced. “
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