"We should be ashamed" - Visma CEO Plugge bashes the use of crashes as advertising for cycling

The first week of the Tour de France was always expected to be very tense and with crashes affecting the race; and several riders have felt that in their own skin. Unfortunately it's part of the brutal nature of the sport, but it's use as advertising for the race and also Netflix's series has come under harsh criticism from Richard Plugge, CEO of Team Visma | Lease a Bike.

"You don't celebrate cycling by showing crashes. You celebrate cycling by showing the sprint between the big guns on the Mur de Bretagne and other sprints, not the crashes," Plugge said in an interview with several news outlets including Cyclingnews. "I've told ASO that, but they include crash footage in their promotional videos for the Tour de France".

In the trailer for the Netlix series these have often been used, much due to their effect as eye-catching moments and also for their dramatic purpose. However it comes off as poor taste to some degree for many and that includes Plugge who is active on the topic of safety in cycling and how to achieve.

"I would be ashamed to have crashes in my race if I was an organizer, I would almost hide them. We should be ashamed of showing crashes to the world, because it's not good."

Meanwhile the move towards more safety in cycling is a more active talk within several governing bodies, races, riders and fans; but an unique solution is not viable. A mix of changes is necessary and whilst some are being implemented, not all have good feedback. Plugge specifically refers to the gear restriction that will be tested at the Tour of Guangxi later this year:

"Let's look at the low hanging fruit first and let's not be distracted by people talking about gear ratios. The low hanging fruits are the race routes and the race environment. Organizers should do a better job, not put speed bumps 150 metres before the finish line, for example," he says with a clear critical tone.