Adam Hansen has had a prominent presence on social media since becoming the new head of the CPA motorcycle union. This week he investigated and spoke out about an incident which saw a rider hit by a team car at Tro Bro Léon.
On Tuesday, the former Australian rider who was chosen to succeed Gianni Bugno as CPA president in March, released a series of on-screen communications with riders and UCI stewards.
He did not specify the driver, race or driving in question, but it appears to have been AG2R Citroën’s Lawrence Naesen, who claimed to have been hit by a Groupama-FDJ car at Sunday’s Tro Bro Leon, naming sport director Frederic Guesdon as guilty. .
“First time ever, knocked down by the FDJ team car from behind at Tro Bro Léon,” Naesen wrote on social media, before switching to French to sarcastically add: “Thank you and congratulations on winning a driver’s license in a Kellogg’s box.”
Hansen responded to the Belgian at the time, saying: “We are working on this and we are sorry it happened to you. We already asked for an investigation a few hours ago. You can thank another driver for informing me about this situation.”
Hansen returned to the subject on Tuesday, revealing an email exchange with the chairman of the UCI race commissioner’s committee in question, which, given the reference to 27 gravel sectors, makes it clear that this is Tro Bro Leon
Hansen called for action, explaining that he understood the driver was hit 40km from the finish and was lucky not to go under the car. The response does not appear to have been well received, with Hansen suggesting that the issue was “brushed off as part of racing, and it has been forever”.
Hansen posted more screenshots, one of someone who said they were “scared the crap out of me” and claimed that “the driver carried on like nothing happened.”
Another screenshot shows Hansen asking someone, presumably Naesen, “Someone said sorry.” The answer comes: No, I didn’t see or hear anything from the driver or the team.”
Hansen posted the screenshots along with the following message: “I really don’t know what annoys me more. A driver of mine gets hit by a car in a race. Then it gets deleted since it’s part of the races, and it’s been like this forever.Or not a single person came forward to apologize to the pilot who was hit by a car.
“I had 8 guys contact me about it and 3 calls from motorists… so it’s important to them. Not counting the rider who was hit by a car and the driver just left.. . We must stop living in the past…”.
The CPA has come under fire in recent years as concerns over rider safety have increased, with some riders joining a breakaway union. Hansen seems to want to add transparency and proactivity to the organization.
He has made the rounds at recent races and polled drivers, posting some results online.
Among the ideas generating support is increasing the safety net from 3km – where GC times are neutralized in the event of accidents or mechanical breakdowns – to 5km, along with a system of yellow and red cards for sanction dangerous driving, a red card meaning a rider would be banned for the next WorldTour race.
I don’t really know what bothers me more. A driver of mine is hit by a car in a race. Then it gets deleted as it’s part of racing, and has been forever. Or not a single person came forward to apologize to the pilot who was hit by a car. I had 8 guys contact me about… pic.twitter.com/ac6olOLLv7May 9, 2023
