2023-06-17 11:09:30
Frenchman Romain Bardet, leader of the DSM team, was right behind him and saw him fall. He did not yet know the seriousness of the accident. At the microphone of The Television Teamhe was still in shock at the start of this morning’s symbolic stage.
km/h and it was a dangerous bend in the sense that you couldn’t see the exit. We were all surprised by the speed. Me, I was in difficulty on the ascent, so I tried to catch up on the descent. But at 100km/h, the slightest mistake can be catastrophic.”,”text”:”I saw it fall in front of me. It was only in the evening that we understood the gravity of things. We were going at more than 100km/h and it was a dangerous bend in the sense that we couldn’t see the exit. We were all surprised by the speed. Me, I was in difficulty on the ascent, so I tried to catch up on the descent. But at 100km/h, the slightest mistake can be catastrophic.””>I saw him fall in front of me. It was only in the evening that we understood the gravity of things. We were going at more than 100 km/h and it was a dangerous corner in the sense that we couldn’t see the exit. We were all surprised by the speed. Me, I was in difficulty on the ascent, so I tried to catch up on the descent. But at 100 km/h, the slightest mistake can be catastrophic.
Louis Barbeau, the director general of the Quebec Federation of Cycling Sports, was saddened by the tragedy, but wonders about the different levels of responsibility.
sport qui comporte des risques, particulièrement dans les descentes. Ce qui est plus inquiétant dans ce cas-ci, car je regardais le profil de l’étape, c’est les 15 ou 20 derniers kilomètres qui sont tous en descente jusqu’à la ligne d’arrivée. Il n’y avait pas de parapet de sécurité, le sol était rocailleux, cela ne laisse donc que peu de chances à quelqu’un qui chute.","text":"C’est un sport qui comporte des risques, particulièrement dans les descentes. Ce qui est plus inquiétant dans ce cas-ci, car je regardais le profil de l’étape, c’est les 15 ou 20 derniers kilomètres qui sont tous en descente jusqu’à la ligne d’arrivée. Il n’y avait pas de parapet de sécurité, le sol était rocailleux, cela ne laisse donc que peu de chances à quelqu’un qui chute."">It is a sport that involves risks, especially on the descents. What is more worrying in this case, because I was looking at the profile of the stage, is the last 15 or 20 kilometers which are all downhill until the finish line. There was no safety parapet, the ground was rocky, so there was little chance of someone falling.
The director of the Quebec Federation recognizes that the strategies have changed and that the riders are ready to take more risk by attacking on the descents.
sport, mais comme certains coureurs l’avouent aujourd’hui, on peut se demander pourquoi les organisateurs ont maintenu une arrivée sans qu'il y ait un plat avant pour les ralentir.","text":"Aujourd’hui, on attaque même dans les descentes. Certains coureurs arrivent même à reprendre une minute dans certaines descentes. On ne changera certes pas la nature de ce sport, mais comme certains coureurs l’avouent aujourd’hui, on peut se demander pourquoi les organisateurs ont maintenu une arrivée sans qu'il y ait un plat avant pour les ralentir."">Today, we even attack on the descents. Some runners even manage to regain a minute on certain descents. We will certainly not change the nature of this sport, but as some runners admit today, we can wonder why the organizers maintained a finish without there being a flat front to slow them down.
Louis Barbeau also blames the stage setup.
The above must also be taken into account. This descent came after a long stage, so fatigue has set in and the riders’ reflexes are no longer the same. And this is where tragic accidents can happen.
A former member of the International Cycling Union confided in Radio-Canada Sports. He admits that the problem is not the cyclists, but rather those who draw the course. An opinion shared by Louis Barbeau.
km and the fall occurred on the 197thkm with tired, less alert cyclists. If we had put this same descent halfway through, we might have been able to avoid the drama.”,”text”:”Why did we have the finish of this stage in this way? There is always a way to change things. The stage was 210km and the fall occurred at 197km with tired, less alert cyclists. If we had put this same descent halfway through, we might have been able to avoid the tragedy.””>Why did we have the finish of this stage in this way? There is always a way to change things. The stage was 210 km and the fall occurred at the 197th km with tired, less alert cyclists. If we had put this same descent halfway through, we might have been able to avoid the tragedy.
Since the accident, many riders have criticized the Swiss organizers such as the world champion, the Belgian Remco Evenepoel.
There’s only one thing we shouldn’t be happy about and that is the race ending after such a dangerous descent. Something always has to happen before you realize it’s irresponsible. Finishing at the top would have been better. And it’s a shame, with such a fine final ascent, we could have settled for arriving at the top… But no, we had to add some spectacle.
The response of the rider from the Cofidis team Simon Geschke risks reigniting the controversy. The descent was not dangerous, good roads, no tunnels, perfectly visible turns. I agree though that in the last 10 kilometers of a race, a descent causes problems. But it’s the runners who take risks, and not just on the descents
he said.
Greg Lemond and Bernard Hinault fought an anthology battle in the 1986 Tour de France.
Photo : Associated Press / Lionel Cironneau
An opinion shared by Bernard Hinault. Radio-Canada Sports joined the five-time winner of the Tour de France.
It’s always sad, but those are the risks of racing. Runners know the dangers, it’s part of the race. There is nothing to do.
When we told him that several riders denounced the arrival of the stage which was too dangerous and that we could have placed it on an ascent, his response is somewhat scathing.
If they don’t agree, then let them do another job. These are the risks of the job and you have to accept them.
We tried to reach the architect of the Tour de France, Thierry Gouvenou. He is the one who thinks and draws the stages. This is what he told our French colleagues during the last Grande Boucle.
% downhill speed. These 10% make things more dangerous. And then, there is a big behavioral problem in the peloton. There is no more respect between the riders. The finding is not very rosy. I don’t know if there will be a general awareness. We have to make efforts on signage, prevention, but it’s not easy.”,”text”:”In 10 years, maybe we’ve gained 10% in downhill speed. That 10% makes things more dangerous. And then, there is a big behavioral problem in the peloton. There is no more respect between the riders. The finding is not very rosy. I don’t know if there will be a general awareness. We have to make efforts on signage, prevention, but it’s not easy.””>In 10 years, maybe we’ve gained 10% downhill speed. That 10% makes things more dangerous. And then, there is a big behavioral problem in the peloton. There is no more respect between the riders. The finding is not very rosy. I don’t know if there will be a general awareness. We have to make efforts on signage, prevention, but it’s not easy.
A somewhat reassuring statement, a few weeks before the start of the biggest race in the world. The Tour de France is due to start on July 1.
In the meantime, the riders of the Tour de Suisse made a symbolic stage of 30 kilometers, in memory of Gino Mäder. Some even stopped on the side of the road to shed a few tears.
The little queen has just lost one of her subjects, too young to die.
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