French pundit criticizes decision to allow extra team to Tour as pursuing "interests that have nothing to do with the safety we keep hearing about"
Cycling
The decision of UCI to eventually allow for an extra team to participate in Grand Tours has become effective immediately. And just as quickly, it created mixed reactions including those who criticize the governing body for giving in to the request from organizers. A decision that goes directly against the discussions on safety we keep hearing about so much.
"So, we're going to do a little bit of history. Because at one time, we limited it to 22 teams for security reasons. So that there wouldn't be more than 22 teams of 8 riders," recalled Cyrille Guimard at Cyclism'Actu. "At a time when there's a lot of talk about repeated crashes, massive crashes, serious crashes, because interests lie elsewhere, then we're moving to 23 teams."
"So, is that good? Isn't that good?", he asks himself. "Honestly, we're dealing with notions of safety where we're not. In fact, in conclusion, we're doing what's convenient at the time. And right now, it's a little embarrassing because with 22 teams, it might be a French team that would jump. And politically, it might not be well seen. So there you have it, in any decision, there are always political-economic interests. And that's the case here, but it's not about safety."
"These are interests that have nothing to do with the safety that we hear about every week. Besides, we never make the right decisions regarding safety and it's not something that's new," he continues by proposing his own way to evade a percentage of big crashes.
"Because I repeat, and even if it annoys everyone, start by taking off the earpieces and you'll see that there will be fewer falls. So, as long as we don't take the bull by the horns when it comes to safety issues, next year there may be 24 teams and then quite simply, we may go back to 200 riders. Why not? So, the decision has been made. That's going to make one team happy."
And there's of course the obvious question of whether this extra 8 riders at the start can even bring any sporting benefit. After all, we're not talking about absolutely top top teams in question here...
"What more will it bring? I don't know. Today, is it logical to have Julian Alaphilippe at the start of the Tour when he is in a team that is far from being in the points? Now, are the points a real reference when we see what is happening at the moment, where we add up the points over three years? Is it logical? I don't think so," concludes Guimard.
It's clear the Frenchman is of the opinion that the decision was made for political and economic reasons, not sporting or security reasons...
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True, but then we've always known that real safety isn’t an objective, just enough for the facade not to crumble.
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