Safety discussion following Mäder's death: from "not a priority for UCI" to "I exceeded my limit multiple times"

Ide Schelling won in Slovenia, Jason Tesson triumphed in France, and Mathieu van der Poel finished fourth in the Baloise Belgium Tour time trial won by Søren Wærenskjold. But naturally, in the world of cycling, the focus on Friday was on one thing and one thing only: the death of Bahrain Victorious rider Gino Mäder. The sorrow and disbelief are profound, but on Saturday, there is also cautious consideration of how to move forward with the sport of cycling itself.

Various cyclists expressed their support for the family of the 26-year-old Swiss rider through social media. But there were also some who looked further into the matter. Mäder died as a result of a crash during a descent that was included in the final part of the Tour de Suisse. Cycling journalist Thijs Zonneveld voiced his strong opinion on Twitter: "This cannot continue like this. So many accidents, so many victims. There are numerous measures that organizations and the UCI can take to make cycling safer, but it simply isn't a priority for them."

Degenkolb and Skujins on safety in cycling

After the time trial in the Baloise Belgium Tour, IDLProCycling.com interviewed several cyclists. They all responded with a sense of defeat to the news, including Team DSM rider John Degenkolb. He also wanted to share his thoughts on safety in cycling: "Fortunately, more and more measures are being taken. It's an ongoing development process that should never stop. We heard the news of Mäder's passing. It's a sad day for the world of cycling. Perhaps today is not the day to discuss such matters."

Toms Skujins, riding for Trek-Segafredo, states that he has already set a limit for himself. The Latvian cyclist mentions that he has not taken any risks in descents for years. "I have exceeded my limit in that regard multiple times in the past. Those days are over. The news from Switzerland hits hard, of course. My condolences to his loved ones. Similarly, Guillaume Visser, a colleague of Zonneveld's at BEAT Cycling Club, expresses a similar sentiment when we asked him for a reaction: "It's the most terrible thing that can happen. From now on, when you ride in the hills or mountains, you definitely keep such things in the back of your mind."

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CPA chairman Adam Hansen takes action

While the Tour de Suisse will be completed under modified conditions, the professional cyclists' union CPA is taking action. Under the leadership of new chairman Adam Hansen (who is currently still active at the continental level after a long career), the riders have been consulted on various topics in the sport for several months, and that hasn't changed after Mäder's death. "I hope everyone now understands how dangerous this sport is. Riders should not take extra risks for entertainment. Period," said Hansen through his social channels. Out of respect for Mäder, the Australian will not address the subject until a later time.

However, not everyone is living by those rules. In an interview with NOS, former cyclist Stef Clement discusses how the safety of courses in cycling has been a hot topic for some time. "With certain courses, you think beforehand: I hope this ends well," he begins, adding, "You can't completely eliminate the risks; it's a risky sport. After the Tour of Poland in 2020, where Fabio Jakobsen had a serious crash, it was said that safety would be taken seriously. But what has actually changed since then? The barriers have been improved, but little else has happened. Cycling is not as safe as it could be."

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Lefevere sees UCI did nothing with his initiative

Clement calls on riders and teams to examine courses in advance, and to complain if necessary. "These courses are announced months in advance, sometimes even half a year in advance. That is when they should come together and express their opinions and suggest adjustments," says Clement, who believes that this should not be the responsibility of the riders. He would like to see a neutral party assess courses objectively. "Perhaps this task should not go the riders, as riders and former riders may not have a complete understanding of what is dangerous."

Patrick Lefevere was the spokesperson to draw a line after the accident involving Jakobsen in 2020. "Together with my colleague Richard Plugge (director of Jumbo-Visma, ed.), we wanted to entrust safety to an external, specialized entity. People who could inspect and approve courses. We discussed safety nets, impact cushions, a safety car," writes Lefevere in his weekly column in Het Nieuwsblad. The Belgian states that the UCI and ASO have taken some steps and made improvements, but: "Is this enough and happening fast enough? The answer to both those questions is twice. Right now, cycling is like Formula 1 twenty years ago. Something urgently needs to be done."