The organisers of The Mid South gravel race have apologised after Sofía Gómez Villafañe and Paige Onweller were almost struck by a the driver of a race vehicle on Friday, with Gómez Villafañe asserting that "it's unacceptable that our safety keeps being compromised 'for the shot'."
In an extraordinary incident captured on camera by a spectator, an off-road buggy, which was carrying media personnel capturing photos and footage from inside the race, almost drove into both riders in turn.
The pair were coming around a left-hand bend when the vehicle carried straight on, forcing Gómez Villafañe to suddenly break and swerve to avoid being run over. The vehicle then turned sharply away but swerved over to the left and into the path of Onweller, who also had to swerve to avoid being hit.
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The vehicle then appeared to come to a halt as the pair of riders, after a wave of arms and some expletives, checked that the other was OK as they rode on.
Gómez Villafañe, who went on to win the race, addressed the incident on social media, writing on Saturday: "One of the scarier moments of Mid South yesterday. Not the first time I (or my fellow competitors) have just about collided with a media vehicle from their lack of course knowledge.
"At this point in time, it’s unacceptable that our safety keeps being compromised 'for the shot'."
The Mid South apologises
On Sunday, the race organisation issued a statement apologising for the incident and taking responsibility
"During Friday’s coverage of the Pro Women’s race, a Mid South media vehicle made an error that forced two lead riders, Sofia Gomez Villafañe and Paige Onweller, off their line to avoid a collision. Thankfully no one was injured, but it created a frightening moment that should not have happened on our course.
"Sofia and Paige — we are truly sorry. We understand how serious and unsettling that moment must have been."
"What happens on our course is our responsibility, and in this instance we fell short of the standard we expect of ourselves. This was an operational failure, and we own it. The responsibility sits with our race leadership, not with any individual crew member."
The Mid South organisers also made reference to the "broader conversation happening among professional riders about safety in open-road gravel racing". As the discipline has expanded over over the years, gravel racing looks markedly different to how it did 10 years or so ago, with media coverage a big part of that.
"We are listening," stated the organisers of Mid South, which was first held as a grass roots event back in 2011.
"We have already begun a full review of our on-course operations, including how media vehicles are managed during race situations. As the sport continues to grow and the intensity of racing increases, we recognize that stronger protocols, clearer standards, and more input from riders are necessary to ensure safety and confidence on course.
"The Mid South exists because of the community that built this event and the trust riders place in us when they roll to the start line. That trust matters deeply to us, and in this moment we did not meet the standard our riders deserve. We will learn from this and do the work required to make it better."
