"This race is not too difficult or too dangerous. At least, not for real cyclists" - Strade Bianche organizer Vegni launches hard words on critics

Tadej Pogacar crashed at Strade Bianche and that was a striking image from 2025 already. Many were the riders that fell during the race, with almost half a dozen confirming fractures. With rider safety as a constant topic for cycling fans and riders alike, the Italian race fell under criticism as well. Race director Mauro Vegni however did not take these words kindly and has hit back.

"Yes, there were more crashes on Saturday than in other years. That is due to the state of the gravel. This time it was very dry and dusty, and that did indeed make it more dangerous," Vegni told Het Nieuwsblad. "But the gravel roads, that is what the Strade Bianche is all about. This race is not too difficult or too dangerous. At least, not for real cyclists. Unfortunately, there are not many of them".

"It also has to do with the mentality of the riders. In the past, the peloton had a moral code. If there was danger, they would warn each other. I notice that riders no longer want to make the effort to warn each other of impending danger. Nowadays, it is like the Romans said: mors tua vita mea, your death is my life".

The dry roads featured little traction in some areas, and the RCS man believes that combining this with higher speeds and more modern material sees riders take substantially more risks, which also contributes to the rising number of crashes. Christian Scaroni, David Gaudu, Mathias Vacek, Romain Grégoire and Michal Kwiatkowski were amongst those who crashed out of the race whilst Max Poole was amongst those who alongside a fall also suffered fractures. Besides the race's difficulty, this track record will not be a good sign for the race's future.

"Cyclists take more and more risks. That is part of cycling. But you can also take too many risks. The material has also become much better. The evolution of bicycles ensures that people ride faster. Take disc brakes for example: this allows them to brake later. But in a peloton, that leads to dangerous situations," he argues.

But like many who have been asked, Vegni is not too positive that the situation regarding the speed will soon change. "We are a sport that revolves around speed. Did F1 reduce the speed of the cars to 200Km/h, while they can drive three hundred? No! They did take measures to minimize the risk of fatal accidents. Cycling needs to work on that".