After Stig Broeckx and Danilo Wyss were run down by a motorbike in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and La Drome Classic respectively, BMC Racing Team President/General Manager Jim Ochowicz has penned this letter to the UCI and President Brian Cookson.

On September 1, 2015, less than one year ago, I wrote a similar letter after an alarming number of crashes involving vehicles had taken place in the peloton since the beginning of the 2015 season. Despite my reaching out for help at that time, the problem became even more prominent as the season went on and we watched in disbelief. Now here I am again asking the powers to be to take notice.

This weekend we saw two serious incidents take place that involved vehicles on the race course taking down riders on live television at La Drôme Classic in France and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne in Belgium. Incredible! The riders deserve far more respect than what they are receiving from those who are responsible for protecting their safety. We all understand that there exists an element of danger in the sport of cycling from a number of places and conditions but no rider expects to be run down from behind by an over-enthusiastic pilot on a closed race course. Disgraceful!

This has got to stop before the headlines in the future are of a more disturbing nature than what we have seen in 2015 and now again in 2016.

To the UCI, I am turning to you for answers and solutions.

Respectfully,

Jim Ochowicz 

President/General Manager, BMC Racing Team