Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott) has spoken out about the dangers of protruding barrier feet after Álvaro Hodeg (Deceuninck-QuickStep) was badly injured in a crash in the finale of the Tour de l'Eurométropole on Saturday.
As the Colombian exited the final corner of the race, he hit the barrier feet, which poked out onto the road. He was later taken to hospital with fractures to his left forearm, right shoulder and two ribs.
"The problem is not only [at that race]," said Trentin in a post on Twitter. "We go at 60kph or more also in other parts of the race. That kind [of] barriers should be banned everywhere!
"Just look at how dangerous they were in the Worlds or in the Grand Tour time trials this year. Flat feet barriers are available everywhere in the world."
Trentin went on to highlight issues that the UCI often legislates against, contrasting their relative unimportance with the rider safety issue highlighted by Hodeg's crash.
"But the most important things are: sock length, disqualifying someone for something that always happened [referring to Nils Eekhoff at the Worlds – Ed.], no feed from the cars in the last 20km of a race, no race radios in the Worlds, no cutting our 45x45cm numbers, be on time [for] team presentations that are always late."
Groupama-FDJ's Jacopo Guarnieri also chipped in, asking the UCI "how can there still be falls like that of Hodeg?" and adding that the barrier-style must be eliminated from all races.
Hodeg's crash is far from the first involving protruding barrier feet in recent years. Back in June, Justin Jules (Wallonie Bruxelles) was injured in the sprint finish on stage 1 of the Tour of Luxembourg after clipping barrier feet metres from the finish line, while Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) criticised the barriers at August's BinckBank Tour.
Five years ago, Zdenek Štybar (Deceuninck-QuickStep) appealed to the UCI to ban protruding feet barriers after crashing and suffering serious facial injuries at the Eneco Tour. However, they are still used at races from professional down to junior level.
The problem is not only there. We go at 60 km/h or more also in other part of the race. That kind barriers should be banned EVERYWHERE! Just look how dangerous they were in the worlds or i the GT TT this year! Flat feet barriers are available everywhere in the world! https://t.co/GQISjoagdfOctober 5, 2019
But the most important things are :-socks lengt-dsq someone for something that always happend -no feed from the cars in the 30 km and last 20 of a race-no race radios in the worlds- no cutting our 45x45cm numbers-be on time on team pres that are always late#showmustgoonOctober 5, 2019
Invece di squalificare gente che fa rulli e misurare i calzini la nostra federazione ha intenzione di fare qualcosa per la nostra sicurezza in corsa? @UCI_cycling come possono esserci ancora cadute come quella di @alvarohodegfc all' #Eurometropole?October 5, 2019
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Daniel Ostanek has been a staff writer at Cyclingnews since August 2019, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later part-time production editor. Before Cyclingnews, he was published in numerous publications around the cycling world, including Procycling, CyclingWeekly, CyclingTips, Cyclist, and Rouleur, among others. As well as reporting and writing news, Daniel runs the 'How to watch' content on Cyclingnews and takes on live race text coverage throughout the season.
Daniel has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France, and has interviewed a number of the sport's biggest stars, including Egan Bernal, Wout van Aert, Remco Evenepoel, Mark Cavendish, and Anna van der Breggen. Daniel rides a 2002 Landbouwkrediet Colnago C40 and his favourite races are Tro-Bro Léon, Strade Bianche, and the Vuelta a España.