“May this kind of actions be duly and severely sanctioned”
“The International Cycling Union (UCI) and associations representing the families of cycling (the CPA for runners, the AIOCC for the organizers and the AIGCP for the teams) unanimously and with the greatest firmness the unacceptable behavior of a spectator during the 122nd edition of Paris-Roubaix, this April 13, Explain theUCI. 33 kilometers from the finish, this spectator positioned by the roadside launched a container towards the Dutch runner Mathieu Van der Poel, touching him in the face. Such behavior can in no case be tolerated in the context of a cycling event. “
“The UCI and the representatives of the families of cycling express their support for the runner and will study, in collaboration with the competent authorities, all the legal routes at their disposal so that this kind of act is duly and severely sanctioned, as has already been the case in the past. They will act in the same way in the future in the face of any act threatening the physical integrity of the runners”, Add theUCI.
“Cycling is one of the few sports to offer such proximity”
“Cycling is one of the few sports to offer such proximity between athletes and the public during competitions. This is one of its wealth, both for runners and for spectators. But this peculiarity implies increased responsibility for spectators, whose behavior can not only influence the course of the race, but also – and even more serious – put the physical integrity of runners”then declares theUCI.
She therefore appeals to spectators’ responsibility: “This is why the UCI and the families of cycling appeal to the responsibility of each spectator and invite them to show the greatest vigilance during the tests, in order to guarantee the security of all the actors and the smooth running of competitions.”
