Bugno: «The threats to Groenewegen are unacceptable, the finger must be pointed at the dangerous barriers»

from 28/01/21

Gianni Bugno, president of the International Association of Professional Riders, intervenes in view of the Professional Cycling Council scheduled for the 2nd and 3rd February 2021.

«I read the threats received by Dylan Groenewegen after the incident at the Tour de Pologne and got from the press that he was placed under police protection who feared the worst for him and his family. What happened is inadmissible, unworthy and indecent. Words and actions have weight and those that have been addressed to this boy are unacceptable. The finger must be pointed at the dangerous barriers that determined the severity of the fall in which Fabio Jakobsen suffered the most serious consequences. Dylan made a mistake in the race that he paid dearly, indeed today he is the only one to have paid for what happened at the finish line in Katowice. Having said that, I hope that the controversy will now belong to the past and that once the sentence inflicted on Dylan is served, the whole group will welcome him back with friendship and understanding» comments the two-times world champion.

The CPA has urged the UCI over and over again for exemplary sanctions for the organizers who have demonstrated an obvious deficiency, but so far Groenewegen remains the only one to have received a disqualification. The riders’ safety in the races is one of the key issues that will be debated in the next few days in the meeting that will bring together all the stakeholders of cycling’s highest category. After the proposals made in the working groups which were held between October and December 2020, it is finally time to move from words to deeds.

«The first point on our list of requests that we sincerely hope will become operational as soon as possible concerns the barriers that must be homologated and certified. They must constitute a protection for the athletes who, taken by the heat of the competition, can also make mistakes, as unfortunately happened to Dylan on August 5th last year - continues Bugno. - As a movement we must do everything possible to ensure the safety of the events and of their main actors. It is our duty to avoid the physical and moral pain that Fabio, Dylan and many other cyclists, both female and male even in the minor categories have lived and are experiencing».

Images

Show all news