# Sad day,,,, RIP Antoine Demoitié



## penn_rider (Jul 11, 2009)

Pro Cyclist Antoine Demoitié dies later in hospital after being hit by a motorbike. 

"Belgian cyclist Antoine Demoitié has died after being hit by a motorbike following a fall during a race, police have said.

The 25-year-old team Wanty rider was struck during the Gent-Wevelgem race in Belgium on Sunday. He was taken to a hospital in Lille after the accident in Sainte-Marie-Cappel, northern France. His team had earlier tweeted that Demoitié's wife and family were with him and that he was in an "extremely serious" condition.

A police spokesman told AFP: "The rider died. An inquiry is under way to determine the circumstances."

Sad day indeed...


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

I was watching this and due to no English commentary had no clue. Geeze


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

So sad. BEin sports is showing it taped delayed in the morning. I have my DVR set to record it.

RIP: Antoine Demoitié


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## dnice (Jul 12, 2012)

Thoughts with his family and loved ones.


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## burgrat (Nov 18, 2005)

Horrible news. Such a young life taken. Thoughts and prayers to his family, friends, and his fellow cyclists. I know we don't know all the specifics about what happened, but hopefully the UCI will take action to make the races safer when it comes to all the cars and motorcycles that are involved. The race's winner, Sagan, was taken out of the Vuelta last year by a motorbike. It certainly seems that there are way too many motorcycles in the caravan involved with the races. This can't happen again.


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## upstateSC-rider (Aug 21, 2004)

Are there more motorcycles, in general, during races now? What's changed these past couple of years?


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## spdntrxi (Jul 25, 2013)

upstateSC-rider said:


> Are there more motorcycles, in general, during races now? What's changed these past couple of years?


maybe a little but not obnoxious more... someone posted a picture of the front of the peloton in the 76' Paris-Roubaix on another site ..atleast 9 in front


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Cars and motorcycles have had a lot of negative impact in recent years. I think perhaps they need to take a short break and forumulate a plan.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

These races are publicity caravans, and sponsors want their names in lights, so everyone with a camera or microphone wants to be as close to the action as possible, so they can document everything. Everyone wants to be there for the critical move that wins the race.

And we, as spectators, want to see the suffering of those in the race. We aren't going to see the face of the men\women in the race, with their mouth open gulping air and the snot running out their nose, giving their all in a break, unless a camera or six are right there documenting it.

I don't see any more than lip service being done to correct these happenings.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

velodog said:


> These races are publicity caravans, and sponsors want their names in lights, so everyone with a camera or microphone wants to be as close to the action as possible, so they can document everything. Everyone wants to be there for the critical move that wins the race.
> 
> And we, as spectators, want to see the suffering of those in the race. We aren't going to see the face of the men\women in the race, with their mouth open gulping air and the snot running out their nose, giving their all in a break, unless a camera or six are right there documenting it.
> 
> I don't see any more than lip service being done to correct these happenings.


I like watching races as much as the next guy. I don't want my desire to watch races put the riders in danger and/or change race outcomes. The 2011 TdF snafu with Hoogerland was bad enough. The two injured riders were denied a stage. Tommy V could have had a 2nd or 3rd place podium in GC if they had another rider or two working and building up time.


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

spade2you said:


> I like watching races as much as the next guy. I don't want my desire to watch races put the riders in danger and/or change race outcomes. The 2011 TdF snafu with Hoogerland was bad enough. The two injured riders were denied a stage. Tommy V could have had a 2nd or 3rd place podium in GC if they had another rider or two working and building up time.


I agree, but with the money to be made, I find it hard to believe that there's going to be any reigning in of the situation by the powers that be. I hope that I'm wrong though.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

Right. I can see the need for camera bikes. But like NBCSN has that D-bag on a bike for the TOC, zipping up and down the peloton, and the Euro broadcasters generally have a guy with a mic reporting from inside the race on a bike, I don't see the need for that. And if every broadcaster, like Sporza, or Eurosport, or NBCSN have their own guy on a bike, it's just too much. The line's gotta be drawn somewhere.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

Points like the ones made above are why I support continuing to develop and refine on board camera technology. I will admit that it is pretty bumpy and choppy right now, but if Velon and the UCI can improve it and combine it with helicopter footage, etc., they might be able to develop something that is just as fun to watch and safer for everyone out on the road.


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## penn_rider (Jul 11, 2009)

I think that the flaw in the system is the chase for the commercial "euro". There have always been a good number of support vehicles, but it seems that lately the emphasis is on flash and coverage of the suffering. There are likely more reasons, and I may be off in numbers, but the chasers seem to be more frantic in their coverage. The anti to this is the wait by Cancellara. However, that may have been more the norm in past years. 
As a result riders have to be ever more hooked up, supported, and covered. Add to this a healthy dose of "must catch the drama" and you now see more accidents with those involved in coverage...


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## jmorgan (Apr 13, 2012)

rufus said:


> Right. I can see the need for camera bikes. But like NBCSN has that D-bag on a bike for the TOC, zipping up and down the peloton, and the Euro broadcasters generally have a guy with a mic reporting from inside the race on a bike, I don't see the need for that. And if every broadcaster, like Sporza, or Eurosport, or NBCSN have their own guy on a bike, it's just too much. The line's gotta be drawn somewhere.


The guy that zips up and down the team cars, talks to the directors not the riders. The info he gets during the race is very insightful if you ever cared to listen. You do realize all the camera guys work for one company and they have one stream that everyone commentates on, not different camera people for every station.


Here is a good recap on recent moto accidents by Bobke.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29fBWuaKWug


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## n2deep (Mar 23, 2014)

Truly, sad news,, our prayers go out to the family!!! 

[QUOTE Here is a good recap on recent moto accidents by Bobke.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29fBWuaKWug[/QUOTE]

Please,, I'm no expert,, however, the motorized riders appear to have a caviler attitude about the safety of the racers.. Surely the teams can balance the need for publicity with safety. Seems like better communication processes, proper-strategic staging of tools/bikes/resources and zone coverage would be an effective tactic.


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## mmoose (Apr 2, 2004)

Wish there was an informal rule about moto drivers having to be retired pro riders (bike, not pro moto). Maybe not enough expros want to do this. But they sure would have respect for the riders in the race, understand where to be at what times, when it is safe to pass, what signal to use to say "passing left" or "passing right" etc.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Rashadabd said:


> Points like the ones made above are why I support continuing to develop and refine on board camera technology. I will admit that it is pretty bumpy and choppy right now, but if Velon and the UCI can improve it and combine it with helicopter footage, etc., they might be able to develop something that is just as fun to watch and safer for everyone out on the road.


Yea...I hate the buttcam point of view. Even when it isn't jerky and bouncing and unwatchable it gets old really fast.

It has taken decades to finally get the tech to be able to get beautiful stable shots that don't give you motion sickness watching via camera from a moving vehicle....and the onboard pisses it all away. Lower resolution, dirty lenses, and all you ever see are the rider's variously colored butts.



penn_rider said:


> I think that the flaw in the system is the chase for the commercial "euro". There have always been a good number of support vehicles, but it seems that lately the emphasis is on flash and coverage of the suffering. There are likely more reasons, and I may be off in numbers, but the chasers seem to be more frantic in their coverage. The anti to this is the wait by Cancellara. However, that may have been more the norm in past years.
> As a result riders have to be ever more hooked up, supported, and covered. Add to this a healthy dose of "must catch the drama" and you now see more accidents with those involved in coverage...


It would be so bad were it not for the race tactics employed.

You have 100+ riders all in a mob suddenly deciding to race (only at 30km to go) on not necessarily the best roads and crashes happen with racers running over one another becoming common place. And with Spring classics weather being well...legendary....demanding that the bikes maintain a safe braking distances means that the viewer at home can barely make out race numbers on the racer's backsides.

The options are:
A) Only use wide highways for racing and abandon this narrow cobbles and side/country streets stuff
B) Cut down on race footage and race mechanics
C) Only race when it is sunny outside

Or some of the above.

Of course....if the racers would actually race and not do a group training ride for the first 150km and only at the end enmasse decide to gas it that would probably help too. Having racers actually, you know race, would thin the pack so it wasn't so tightly mobbed at the end. But that you know, would mean racers actually having to race.


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## Oldteen (Sep 7, 2005)

After the Demoitie tragedy, Bobke posted a heart felt plea to UCI to do something to help improve rider safety during these races.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9ilGISnEXM
In fairness, it can be argued that the pros accept some risk associated with bike racing and earning a living in sport at the professional level (inc the associated press coverage). 
OTOH, Safety is not just about those motorbikes covering pro races. Bob has also posted another video about a recent fatal crash in an amateur bike race in Washington. Watching it literally brought tears to my eyes as our local club had a rider killed in a group training ride crash just a few years ago. After almost getting clipped at 45+kph (again) in a local club ride by undertalented wanna-be's, I must echo Bob's comments that IT's NOT WORTH IT to take those risks. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q82jsdE2c90
Live to Ride.....and RIDE to LIVE!!!!


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

jmorgan said:


> The guy that zips up and down the team cars, talks to the directors not the riders. The info he gets during the race is very insightful if you ever cared to listen. You do realize all the camera guys work for one company and they have one stream that everyone commentates on, not different camera people for every station.
> 
> 
> Here is a good recap on recent moto accidents by Bobke.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29fBWuaKWug


Yes, I understand the cameras. I believe I even said as much. I know how race coverage works, asshat. 

It's the reporters within the race, all on bikes, and working for different media groups, that I was talking about.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Rashadabd said:


> Points like the ones made above are why I support continuing to develop and refine on board camera technology. I will admit that it is pretty bumpy and choppy right now, but if Velon and the UCI can improve it and combine it with helicopter footage, etc., they might be able to develop something that is just as fun to watch and safer for everyone out on the road.


I think this could eventually be a good solution. Take the UCI's weight requirement and add this weight in camera gear. Perhaps drones could eventually be useful, too.


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