João Almeida is outspoken on the safety issue for (some of) his colleagues in the peloton. In the Sigma Sports podcast, he states that the increasingly faster equipment contributes to the danger, but that the main cause of the many crashes lies elsewhere. “Above all, it’s the attitude of the riders that is the problem," says the runner-up of the recent Vuelta a España.
According to Almeida, there is a mentality where riders hardly think about their own safety or that of others. “I think there’s a lack of respect in the peloton. People don’t really care about crashes. They don’t really think about safety. That’s the feeling I get.”
The UAE Emirates XRG rider draws a comparison with one of his other hobbies: circuit car racing. “I am someone who loves cars. Sometimes I go to circuits and drive there at 300 kilometers per hour without crashing. I have brakes, I can brake whenever I want. So when you ride at 70 on a race bike, you should just try to brake a bit earlier too. That’s just common sense.”
Mentality and skills
According to Almeida, that common sense is missing in part of the peloton. “If you respect each other and don’t want to fall, you brake earlier. Afterwards, you can always push on when it’s uphill. But clearly, that’s not the mentality right now."
The 27-year-old Portuguese also believes that some riders simply lack the right technical skills. “I think nowadays it might be good if some riders took a cornering and descending course so they know what they’re doing. Because when you go faster, you also need more skills.”
