The UCI's new safe pro cycling initiative - SafeR - has stalled before even getting off the ground, with stakeholders forcing out CEO Jaap Van Hulten, reports Cyclingnews.
Van Hulten, who was sharing his time between SafeR and his former role as chief operating officer at Visma-Lease A Bike, was ousted after "it became clear that the work carried out to date has not lived up to the objectives set, particularly in a context in which too many accidents have occurred", the UCI told CN.
A total 38 riders are now out injured following serious crashes at races including Dwars door Vlaanderen and Itzulia Basque Country, UCI boss David Lappartient told CN. These include Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease A Bike, who will now miss the Giro d'Italia), and his team-mate and reigning Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard, who broke several ribs and punctured a lung when he crashed in Itzulia.
In fact pro cycling could be set for one of the most injury-hit years of the last decade, according to statistics website ProCyclingStats, which reports a running total of 135 injuries this year already. As it stands, 2023 saw the most injuries since 2014, with a total 296.
SafeR was set up last June to help improve safety in professional cycling and is overseen and funded by a number of pro cycling organisations, including the UCI, the CPA riders association, the AIOCC race organiser group, the UNIO women's team association and the AIGCP teams group.
Only last week, Ineos boss Jim Ratcliffe praised SafeR's formation in an open letter on the Ineos Grenadiers website. He may have to wait a while longer for his hopes – that it will be used to reduce risks to riders and spectators while losing none of the thrill of the sport – to be fulfilled.
Referencing a study from Ghent University, Lappartient also said that “50% of crashes are due to rider behaviour, with 50% due to other factors, such as obstacles that are not signalled or the speed of the peloton.
“I'm not here to say it's all their fault; it could just be a brief moment of inattention," he added. "That's why we want to introduce a principle of yellow and red cards, like in football, so that dangerous behaviour is better punished.”
Visma-Lease A Bike rider Matteo Jorgensen told Cycling Weekly that he feels the sport is heading into a "scary cycle", where riders fight harder to be at the front in order to avoid crashes, but in doing so actually raise the risk.
A statement from the UCI said the process of recruiting a replacement for Van Hulten at the head of SafeR would begin shortly.
“In the meantime, all the families will continue to collaborate closely and in a coordinated manner on all matters relating to safety. The UCI and all the cycling families wish to reaffirm that the safety of riders remains their absolute priority," it said.
Cycling Weekly contacted Visma-Lease A Bike for a response from Van Hulten.
