< Iframe Frameborder = "0" Scrolling = "No" Marginwidth = "0" Marginheight = "0" Hspace = "0" Vspace = "0" Webkitallowfulscreen = "True" mozallowfulllscreen = "alllow" = "Autoplay" RetrierPolicy = "No-Referrer-Ohen-Downgrade" Width = "500" Height = "300" style = "Width: 100%; Height: 100%; Position: Absolute;" data-digiteka-src = "//www.ultimedia.com/deliver/generic/iframe/mdtk/01914874/src/xkz033/zone/1/showtitle/1/sound/yes/">60~/iframe > < P Class = "Article-Full__CoPo" >Benjamin Thomas, runner and leader of the Cofidis team, was one of the craftsmen of this third stage of the Bessèges star this Friday 7 & nbsp; February. He tells a chaotic day in which he was at the heart of exchanges with the organization.
< P Class = "Txt-Question" > What was the subject of the meeting this morning ? < P > We were with the organizer, the president of the UCI, the chief of the gendarmerie and a dozen runners. No young runner was there, I want to specify, only runners over 30 years old. It's a bit of a shame. Awareness must be general. < P >Otherwise, the meeting went very well. The organizers first apologized for the problems of the first two days. We had to be on quieter roads, with fewer incidents. We just knew we had two additional motorcycles at the front of the peloton, so more protection. Unfortunately, the moment when the breakaway formed ten seconds in advance, the motorcycles logically placed themselves in front of it, and within ten seconds, a car inserted in traffic. < P Class = "Std-elt_inline" > < Strong > Read also: & quot; this gold medal gave me confidence and insurance & quot; : Benjamin Thomas indulges before the Bessèges star < P Class = "Txt-Question" > How did you live this moment ? < P >I was in 30th place, there was a big braking. We were in town, about 50 km/h. On a wet road, it could have been a huge strike. The runners reacted well. It started to protest. The discussions began. Some wanted us to stop everything. Others have grown. It was a bit of chaos. < H2 Class = "TXT-INT" > “The union's decision was not respected by the president of Jury” < P Class = "TXT-Question" > You were part of the union of runners. What did he say with the organization, the UCI and the president of the jury ? < P >We were three designated runners (with the Belgian Dries of Bondt and the Spaniard Oier Lazkano). In the regulations, there is a vote between these three runners with regard to the maintenance or not of the race. And the majority had to be listened to. I was for the recovery. The other two, no. So I told myself that the race was going to be stopped. I even started to change, undress. Five minutes later, the race left. The runners who wanted to abandon were put off. The team decided to leave. I gave my Kway and we left. Therefore, the union's decision was not respected by the president of Jury. < P Class = "Txt-Question" > It was easy to recover in ? < P > Yes. Afterwards, we were 50 minutes stopped, within 5 degrees, under the drizzle, the wind … It was not optimal. Unfortunately, these are situations that we have already known. There it was a matter of security. I understand the runners who wanted to leave. I would have been folded by majority. The rest of the stage went smoothly. We had a secure race until the arrival. < P Class = "Txt-Question" > Have you ever known that ? < P > Yes, we have already experienced incidents. Risk 0 does not exist, even on major races. When a viewer drops half the peloton in the Tour de France, it's also serious. It will question the organization. What has happened here, serves as lessons. These are volunteers who give everything, who do not have many means. But there are solutions to further inform runners and not just have just mobile motorcycles. It only takes ten seconds, if a person is not aware that there is a race, and it is too late. 200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000“The union's decision was not respected”: Benjamin Thomas explains what happened during the chaotic day of the Bessèges star
ByTeilor Stone
Feb 8, 2025
By Teilor Stone
Teilor Stone has been a reporter on the news desk since 2013. Before that she wrote about young adolescence and family dynamics for Styles and was the legal affairs correspondent for the Metro desk. Before joining Thesaxon , Teilor Stone worked as a staff writer at the Village Voice and a freelancer for Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Mirabella. To get in touch, contact me through my teilor@nizhtimes.com 1-800-268-7116