The Association of Professional Cyclists (CPA) "wants an urgent investigation into the death of Belgian Antoine Demoitie at the Gent-Wevelgem classic race over the weekend," according to Blenkinsop & Jimenez of REUTERS. Demoitie's Wanty-Gobert team said that "the rider was hit by a motorbike following a fall during a section of the race in northern France on Sunday and the 25-year-old died in hospital." CPA said, "The CPA and all the riders demand that light is shed on the accident immediately and the circumstances that caused it." CPA President Gianni Bugno said, "We do not want to make controversy but we have so much frustration inside. We have always stated that the safety of the riders must come first" (REUTERS, 3/28). The BBC reported French police spokesperson Frederic Evrard said, "An inquiry is underway to determine the circumstances." The Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) said that it would "cooperate with all relevant authorities in an investigation into the incident." UCI President Brian Cookson said, "Antoine will be truly missed. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and team."
FIND THE BALANCE: BBC's Matt Slater opined simply put, bike races are now "far more crowded than ever: there are cameramen on motorbikes, photographers on motorbikes, sponsors and VIPs in cars, mechanics on motorbikes, team cars, police motorbikes and sometimes up to 200 riders fighting for road space." Cycling is "going through a purple patch in terms of participation but the economics of professional cycling remain precarious." Race organizers and teams "depend on the exposure they get from television, which means more cameras, closer to the action." Without a "compelling TV product, there are no bidding contests to host events, sponsors for teams, shop windows for manufacturers, role models for new fans." But "without safe conditions to race, there are no riders, there is no sport." Cycling "must find its balance" (BBC, 3/28).
