Tom Pidcock finished second at the Tre Valli Varesine in Italy on Tuesday, but later admitted he nearly quit the race in a rage after a police motorcyclist drove the wrong way and struck two of his Pinarello Q36.5 teammates. The incident has reignited intense scrutiny over rider safety in professional cycling.
The collision occurred with six laps remaining on the finishing circuit, knocking Spaniard Marcel Camprubí and Briton Thomas Gloag off their bikes. While Camprubí was able to continue and eventually finished last, Gloag was forced to abandon the race and required stitches on his knee. According to team sources, the police motorcyclist had entered a roundabout and then circled back directly into the path of the advancing peloton.
Pidcock’s Reaction to the Police Collision
Pidcock, who was being supported by his teammates at the time of the crash, told Eurosport that he was mad
when he saw his colleagues on the ground. He admitted that his immediate impulse was to stop racing entirely.
“A police motorbike was going the wrong way down the course and crashed into two of our guys. So from this point… well, first of all I wanted to stop racing myself. I was mad. The guys all riding in front of me, for me, and two of them on the floor.”
Tom Pidcock, Pinarello Q36.5 rider
He mentioned that the race was not the easiest, as the team had to ride on their own at the start, but was aided by Mark Donovan, who held a gap of six to seven minutes before UAE helped.
A Pattern of Course Security Failures
The incident in Varese is the latest in a series of security lapses. Camprubí highlighted the danger on social media, posting a photo of his broken bike and stating it was sad that you have to risk your life to race
just one month after a fatal accident in the sport. Pidcock responded to the post, stating, These accidents must stop.
That tragedy occurred on August 14 during the Volta a Portugal, where 19-year-old British rider Finlay Tarling was killed after a high-speed collision with a van that had entered the closed course. Portuguese police official Carlos Catanario suggested the driver had been stopped at the roadside to let the race pass before asking bystanders if it was safe to join the road. Pidcock previously dedicated his World Cross Country Mountain Bike Championship victory to Tarling and his family.
The incident on Tuesday involved a police rider who was part of the race convoy, despite rules requiring those driving “in-race” to follow strict positioning and safety guidelines. The collision remains under police investigation.
- Tour of Britain Women: Australian rider Maeve Plouffe reported racing amid general public traffic and was nearly hit by a car on a roundabout, noting that cars were coming at her from all directions while the race convoy was still in sight.
- Sauerlandrundfahrt (Germany): Vehicles twice entered closed roads, nearly striking riders.
- Coppa Bernocchi: A delivery van entered the course behind the breakaway within the final 20 kilometres.
UCI Safety Pledges and Proposed Circuit Racing
The governing body of cycling, the UCI, has faced heavy criticism for its handling of these safety concerns. Matthew Brennan, a British rider who won five stages in the Vuelta a España, called the lack of change disgraceful
, stating it feels as though the world has moved on while cars are still appearing on courses.
In response, the UCI recently pledged at the Road World Championships in Montreal to implement several measures, including the use of GPS trackers and the installation of safer barriers near finish lines.
Pidcock, who also finished second at the Giro dell’Emilia earlier in the week, is now preparing for Il Lombardia this Saturday, where he enters as one of the favorites.