Cycling is often a casualty of its own success: “Are we best sports or folklore?” | Viv Le Philo

He could hardly be more professional at the top of the air.

Fans everywhere—preferably dressed as conspicuously as possible—can hop back into the riders’ path unimpeded. To top it all off, two motorcycles blocked Pogacar Road.

But according to Johan Museeuw, the latter was also due to an excessive number of fans. “There were just too many people on that climb again,” he noted. “They really need to do something about it.”

“They urgently need to limit the number of people allowed to climb into the bottom of the shafts,” he continues. “Where we passed, there were 3 or 4 rows again.”

Jean Baclantis sees a double problem. “Too many moves, not enough darts.”

“For every 100 supporters standing there, at least half take an extra step forward,” Baklantis continues.

Frustration over the problem is clearly high among the speakers at Vive le Vélo. Even the director puts it on the air.

“First of all, this French director has already missed the battle of the extra seconds, but he’s also the one who has to send his engine forward,” Carl Vanyukerke sharpens. “This is match-fixing.”

Meanwhile, a penalty was imposed on the engines. They are not allowed to race tomorrow. “But this is just looking for a black house,” says Baklantis.

“The person responsible eventually escapes again. ASO is clearly responsible for this, but of course it will not hang itself.”

Anyway, they are just examples of a much larger problem.

“There will never be a structural solution,” Baklantis complains. “The solutions, like putting nadars, are easy though.”

“I actually think it’s part of the sport,” suggests Jumbo-Visma nutritionist Ien Vitse. “Keeping the masses in a way is the beauty of cycling.”

“But then we have to ask ourselves whether we want to be a professional sport or folklore,” Baclantis counters.

“There is increasing professionalism within the teams,” the former cyclist continues. “But this must now also be done within competing organisations.”

“There have to be guidelines by which you have to do your job. And right now that’s not the case, because everybody’s doing something.”

He concludes, “If this were the Champions League, I wouldn’t be on the field either. It’s as if Ronaldo should kick a penalty in the final and then we all stand on the big rectangle.”

An amazing comparison to push the problem under the public eye. Although of course Pogacar and Vingegaard did more than just penalty kicks during the Tour.