A number of leading international road cycling stakeholders have got together for the creation of SafeR (SafeRoadcycling).
SafeR stakeholders include: the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI); the Association Internationale des Organisateurs de Courses Cyclistes (AIOCC); the Association Internationale des Groupes Cyclistes Professionnels (AIGCP); UNIO, the association of women’s cycling teams; the Cyclistes Professionnels Associés (CPA); and the Women’s CPA.
SafeR is an independent entity dedicated to improving the safety of men’s and women’s competitions on the UCI international road calendar.
According to a release from UCI… ‘The creation of SafeR is a direct response to the trend of increasing incidents occurring in men’s and women’s professional road cycling.
‘This trend prompted extensive discussions among the professional road cycling stakeholders, leading to a unanimous agreement on the need for a more structured and systematic approach to ensuring safety. Collaboration was deemed essential to achieve this and enable all stakeholders to actively contribute to improving the current situation.’
SafeR will be funded jointly by the organisers, riders, teams and the UCI. The entity will be responsible for:
- Analysing the risks relating to the routes of UCI WorldTour, UCI Women’s World and UCI ProSeries races;
- Providing safety advice to stakeholders in professional road cycling, in particular to the UCI;
- Carrying out safety audits on race organisers and teams (including their riders); and
- Publishing quarterly safety reports.
SafeR will be able to draw on the measures to improve rider safety that the UCI put in place in 2021 in collaboration with stakeholders, in particular event organisers. At the time, the UCI issued a document – published on its website – entitled ‘Rider Safety – New Regulations in 2021 – Explanation Guide for Organisers, Teams and Riders’.
Additionally, SafeR will have access to a race incidents database established by the UCI in partnership with Ghent University (Belgium) in 2021. This database provides a source of information regarding incidents, allowing for a deeper understanding over time and paving the way for the development of improved strategies to enhance the safety of the sport.
UCI President David Lappartient said “The safety of riders, as well as people in the race convoy and on the roadside, is a priority for the UCI.
“Despite the measures put in place since the tightening of the UCI’s safety rules in 2021, we have to acknowledge that the number of incidents and injuries continue to rise.
“Several factors have contributed to this unfortunate trend, including the rapid expansion of road furniture designed to control vehicle speeds, particularly in urban areas, as well as the increased speed of today’s peloton.
“The UCI and all the cycling families must unite to reverse this trend and this common desire to find solutions together is embodied in the creation of SafeR.”
