"We’re not going to stop descent like the one into Morzine on July 15 but they’ll be safer" - David Lappartient about the role of new safety organization - SafeR

The UCI and the key stakeholders in professional cycling have announced a new safety initiative called SafeR - SafeRoadcycling, aimed at improving safety in men’s and women’s races.

SafeR was presented in Bilbao before the start of the Tour de France by UCI President David Lappartient, Tour de France race director Christian Prudhomme, who is also president of the race organisers AIOCC association, and Jumbo-Visma team manager Richard Plugge of the AIGCP teams association president.

"Today is a proud day because we're here together," Plugge suggested. "It took time to decide what to do and understand that our problems don’t just involve riders, teams, races or the UCI individually but that safety is a problem for everyone in cycling. Everyone in the sport has to play a role. We want to keep racing on the road."

Lappartient only went off script during questions from the media about mountain descents. He made it clear they will remain a part of the sport. "We’re not going to stop descent like the one into Morzine on July 15 but they’ll be safer," he said. "The organisers will help us make the races safer. The climbs need to be safe but we can’t ban descents."