Treat it like doping? David Millar voices how he thinks cycling can maximise safety
Cycling
Former British professional cyclist David Millar has shared his thoughts on how cycling can enhance safety, suggesting a cultural approach similar to the fight against doping during the latter half of his career. Speaking to Cyclingnews, Millar emphasised the importance of fostering respect, self-policing, and empowering riders to hold each other accountable for dangerous behaviour in the peloton.
"It's never going to be a safe sport," Millar said, acknowledging the inherent risks of cycling.
Millar reflected on current and past safety measures, explaining, "I think when they have these ideas (such as) the gear restrictions, it's still going to be insanely fast. It's still going to be people fighting for position. Bike racing is just so mad in the sense that you can have a point-to-point 200 kilometres. There's no way you can make those 200 kilometres safe 100 per cent."
He highlighted various efforts to improve safety, such as the introduction of the three-kilometre rule and experimenting with different rules during last year’s Tour de France. "We've had the three-kilometre rule, the certain barriers. We've experimented with different three-kilometre or five-kilometre rules last year at the Tour."
Millar believes that ongoing experimentation is crucial to improving safety. "I think this experimentation will always be part of cycling. Perhaps that's how we make it safer, just by constantly experimenting, because it raises the vigilance levels, and it allows us to interrogate and raise awareness. Unfortunately, professional cycling is inherently a very high-risk sport."
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- Let's see him off-road on a really technical XCO course......say Mont Sainte-Anne.....wipperman9515-02-2025
- Yves is a great guy. classy.mij15-02-2025
- Most importantly, the new boss 'Spartacus' is not known to berate his riders in public.
KerisVroom15-02-2025 - I think Roglic might have a chance to win overall, TT is better for him, if he can stay close enough on Foia he can win there because stages 1, 3 and 4 should be (reduced bunch) sprintsvappaxbipmv15-02-2025
- This method wasn't banned when riders were using it, I don't know why there's even a debate therevappaxbipmv15-02-2025
- He really is that good... era defining great
leedorney15-02-2025 - Doping and performance enhancement will stop as soon as you take away any monetary or material gain from sport. Bigger contracts, prize money everything is dependant on performance so anyone who doesn't push the performance envelop will fail in the end or never be as good as their peer group. Outrageously talented athletes come along in sport so rarely that other have to do what's necessary to try to keep up so the vicious circles of performance and gain continues. It will never stop as long as people gain. I've got over the fact that it happens, I don't condone it but I want to watch the best cycling there is. We are blessed right now, Tadej, Mathieu, Wout, Jonas etc, It's a golden era to watch bicycle racing.slappers6615-02-2025
- the point is not if he is good or bad (obviously is a great rider.. I buy him in all the gambling games, ahahaha). The point is Tour de France. For Lidl (and also in my humble opinion) he didn't meet the expectations, that were high.
maria2024202415-02-2025 - Simple logic. Do you think that Lidl don't want their better and more paid cyclists in the Tour de France, in the roles that the DS consider more efficient? I think obviously YES. But probably some riders don't accept to change the hierarchy. Do you think other LOGIC reason?maria2024202415-02-2025
- Good point 1stp. You forget that Pederson has been World Champion.roadman5412115-02-2025