Crashes at Hong Kong Cyclothon call for fast response
- With 27 cyclists injured, including 13 in a single pile-up, organisers of the Hong Kong event must look into the complaints of riders
A mega event meant to show the world that the city is back on track drew attention for the wrong reasons on Sunday when the Hong Kong Cyclothon saw several crashes that injured 27 riders, including 13 in a single pile-up.
Some cyclists complained about the layout of the course, and organisers must look into what happened to reassure those intending to take part in future and the watching public that the city can host such anticipated events safely.
Casualties from the multiple crashes were taken to hospital, where one was later listed in serious condition, another 16 as stable and 10 treated and released. The worst accident happened during a race open to amateur and elite participants when a cyclist collided with a traffic cone while overtaking, triggering the pile-up.
At least two riders later said the placement of traffic cones had left them too little space to manoeuvre and insufficient time to avoid a collision.
Leung Hung-tak, chairman of the Hong Kong Cycling Association, said the design of the course and configuration of the city’s first post-Covid race were similar to those used previously.
Leung said cycling events were prone to chain-reaction crashes, and similar incidents at famous international races such as the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia could neither be blamed on track design nor configuration.
He insisted that additional signs and safety devices were in place at locations “prone to accidents” and a pre-race inspection had been completed.
Olympic medallist Sarah Lee Wai-sze, who took part in a 50km (31-mile) Cyclothon event, said she did not see any issue with the track for the women’s race. But Lee said when accidents happened it was “normal to review and learn from them”.
27 riders injured in Hong Kong Cyclothon, including 13 in single crash
Reflection is the right response, particularly when hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent promoting and organising mega events to boost tourism.
The Hong Hong Tourism Board, which organised the Cyclothon, said the seven races involved about 5,000 riders, including professionals from around the world.
Riders may knowingly face risks, but they deserve the best conditions possible to keep them clear of the wheels of misfortune.
