Vancouver wind storm: Tree vs Car
(@FrankMoore56/Twitter)
Today's wind storm was harsh with winds howling as high as 90 km/hr knocking down trees and power lines and generally causing mayhem. An estimated 400k homes, in the Lower Mainland, are without power. Now, the winds have finally died down and it's comforting to have some much needed rain over the next few days.
Our storm has stopped but another one is brewing in the Vuelta...
From today's Cyclingnews.com article:
“Unfortunately, it isn't the first time such an incident happens," Sagan said later in a team press release. "Even if motorbikes are forced to go through a group of riders, they should do it very carefully and not recklessly. In my opinion, motorbike drivers don't take the safety of the riders in consideration seriously. Fortunately, my injuries aren't very serious but can you imagine what would have happened if he had ran over me?"
The motorcycle involved belonged to the Shimano neutral support team - one whose reputation was sullied when a support car knocked Jesse Sergent (Trek) down when he was part of a breakaway in the Tour of Flanders. Sagan was blocked in the Tour de France by a camera motorbike when attempting to change bikes in the Tour de France, too, but highlighted the dangers of this incident.
“If I had crashed alone or with another rider, I would have considered that to be part of the sport. However, being hit by a motorbike of the race organization shouldn't be acceptable. The safety of the riders should be an absolute priority and all vehicle drivers involved in a race must be more attentive. I really hope this incident is the start of a series of necessary changes in the way races are organized."
Tinkoff-Saxo later issued a sternly worded press release saying they would indeed consider legal action “against the person or persons responsible for crashing into Peter Sagan with 8.2km to go on the stage.”
“Tinkoff-Saxo believes that such accidents caused by reckless human error, regardless of whether they affect Tinkoff-Saxo’s riders or riders of other teams, are unacceptable at the top level of the sport of cycling,” the press release added.
Sagan himself was also fined 200 Swiss Francs “for threats and insults,” as well as a further 100 Swiss Francs for “behaviour which damages the image of cycling.”
"I go back to the team hotel and I read I was fined 300 francs for insults and threats as well as behavior that damages the image of cycling. I will, obviously, pay it but I consider it unjust," Sagan said.
Stage 8: 1. Jasper Stuyven 2. Pello Lopez De Armentia 3. Kevin Reza
DNF: Tejay Van Garderen, Nacer Bouhanni, Kris Boeckmans, Daniel Martin
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