“It’s on the riders most to be safe. Don’t do stupid things" - Tadej Pogacar weighs in on how to improve safety in the peloton

Rider safety is a hot topic in the peloton in 2024. Some of the biggest names in the sport are split as to how best solve the issues presented though. Now, world champion Tadej Pogacar has evaluated both sides of the debate.

Previously, race director at the Tour de France Christian Prudhomme put the onus on the riders to make a change. “Beyond the behaviour of the athletes and the work of the organisers, it is absolutely necessary to reduce speed by appropriate measures: the riders are going too fast," Prudhomme told the annual general assembly of the association of race organisers (AIOCC) in Italy. “The faster they go, the greater the risk and the more they endanger themselves and others."

The likes of EF Education - EasyPost boss Jonathan Vaughters and Groupama - FDJ boss Marc Madiot came out strongly against these comments from Prudhomme, insisting riders are not the main problem. Whilst Pogacar doesn't fully agree, the Slovenian clearly can see both sides of the argument.

“Everybody wants to go faster all the time,” the UAE Team Emirates leader tells Escape Collective. “The whole cycling world is developing like any other sport, breaking records every year and going faster and faster. Technology moves ahead, and in one way I totally understand that we cannot be stuck on a steel bike that goes 10kph slower. Marketing doesn’t go so well selling the bikes, the jersey, the helmets. Everything needs to improve.”

"When you go faster there is more risk, but I don’t think there were no crashes a hundred years ago, or no risk even if they were going 20kph average speed in a race and now we go almost 45,” Pogacar continues. “There’s also the weather protocol. It’s getting used more and more, especially when there’s snow or rain, or super cold, they’re starting to apply it sometimes in the bigger races. In smaller races, they are still using it too [little]. Thinking of the opposite side, it’s 45 degrees in some races, and people don’t care because in the car it’s air conditioned. I think it’s super dangerous. It’s even more dangerous riding 45 degrees full gas than five degrees, because when you get heat stroke it’s super dangerous.”

Pogacar also doesn't fully disagree with the argument made by Prudhomme though. “It’s on the riders most to be safe,” he concludes. “Don’t do stupid things in the bunch. You need to respect all the riders. It doesn’t matter who it is. Respect the road and you also need to think about your abilities on the bike. Everybody is trying their best, I think.”