If you’ve been watching the new Netflix docuseries on the Tour de France, and you should, you probably noticed above all else that professional road cycling is a very dangerous sport. It involves moving at car like speeds inches away from your opponents at maximum effort for hours at a time with nothing more than a helmet and spandex for protection. Unlike auto racing, there aren’t generations of technology that make crashes less deadly. It’s one of the few sports where there’s an expectation that a whole lot of people at the start line will end up at the hospital instead of the finish.
Of course, for some, it’s even worse than that. We bore witness to that reality last week in the Tour de Suisse, a multi-stage cycling event that serve as a tune up for next month’s Tour de France. Last Thursday, Gino Mader of the Bahrain- Victorious team rode off course on a treacherous mountain descent into a steep ravine. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, news that cancelled Friday’s stage. But on Saturday, racing continued for all but three teams – including Bahrain-Victorious – who withdrew from the final two stages.
There’s been no evidence of foul play or negligence. It was certainly a tricky descent, especially at the end of a stage when athletes will take bigger risks. But we haven’t heard of mechanical failure or anything wrong with the road. In fact, another cyclist fell along with Gino and literally walked away with a concussion and various cuts and bruises. Such can be the random nature of a sport that currencies in risk/reward, one where even the most meticulous preparation can be undone by cruel random fate.
While somewhat rare, death in professional cycling isn’t unheard of. There’s been well over 100 deaths, which beyond crashes also include heart attacks and collisions with cars and motorcycles. They have been four deaths in the history of the Tour de France. That number pales to the over 1000 killed each year in the US alone from cycling accidents. Of course, that would be like comparing NASCAR deaths to general car fatalities, where conditions and capabilities are far beyond anyone’s control.
There are a few obvious truisms here. Like the fact that it’s a dangerous sport, and athletes know the risks inherent when they toe the line. And that this happens in a whole bunch of sports, from football on down. And that we all mourn his loss and will adjust the course next time. This is the general roll call for sporting death, especially when it happens to an athlete most of the world had never heard of in a sport we typically only watch for a fleeting annual moment.
Which leads us to the more difficult constructs and decisions when it comes to elite athletics – both as a fan and a participant. Cycling, like any sport, could be made safer. But it would come at a fairly significant cost – specifically income lost when fans lose interest. The continuum of cycling runs from blood sport to something that looks like competitive exercise – also known as Peloton – the stationary bike, not the pack. Which means that as much as this most recent tragedy will come with calls for reform, most are simply a band aid on a heart attack. Yes, tour organizers should scale back on careless descents and, ironically, pancake flat finishes that lead to sprinting carnage. But that aside, the sport is what the sport is.
Which means that when it comes to cycling and death, much of the decision is ours. Are you comfortable enjoying a sport that will, by definition, cause someone’s death. It’s not a litmus test, but rather a more involved decision about the nature of life – and one I struggle with as both a fan and aging triathlon participant, one with multiple scars from bike wrecks suffered decades ago. To be clear, I won’t watch sports like UFC or even boxing at this point, where brutality is its core intent. I also won’t watch horse racing, where humans rob animals of their own safety and destiny. But cycling and football – well, yes, I still watch and enjoy. Which probably makes me far more a hypocrite than a logician. But I suppose we all need a way to rationalize the choices we make.
Whatever you chose, I would encourage you to check out Netflix’s new cycling show about last year’s Tour de France. At least in that, we know that everyone survived.
Keith Strudler is the director of the School of Communication and Media at Montclair State University. You can follow him on twitter at @KeithStrudler
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