Tinkoff-Saxo požaduje odškodnenie za Saganov pád + otvorený list adresovaný organizátorom Vuelty a UCI

Tinkoff Sport A/S, riadiaca spoločnosť profesionálneho cyklistického tímu Tinkoff Saxo, zaslala v utorok otvorený list organizátorom pretekov Vuelta a Espaňa a Medzinárodnej cyklistickej únii (UCI) ohľadom incidentu Petra Sagana zo sobotňajšej 8. etapy posledného podujatia Grand Tour v sezóne. Osem kilometrov pred cieľom predmetnej etapy neutrálna sprievodná motorka vo vysokej rýchlosti narazila do zadného kolesa slovenského jazdca a spôsobila jeho pád, zranenia a následné odstúpenie z pretekov.

"Fakty sú jasné a mimo diskusie: vodič motocykla sa nedbalo a nevhodne snažil predbiehať v redukovanom pelotóne vo veľkej rýchlosti, aby dohnal vedúcich troch jazdcov. Pád mohol mať oveľa väčšie následky pre cyklistu, ktorý bol voči správaniu motorkára bezmocný. Tím Tinkoff-Saxo a Peter Sagan, jeden z najlepších cyklistov v pelotóne a od ktorého vo veľkej miere závisel úspech tímu, utrpeli pri nehode priame aj nepriame škody a je rozumné požadovať adekvátne odškodnenie od zodpovedných ľudí za tento incident," uvádza sa v otvorenom liste Tinkoff-Saxo na oficiálnej stránke tímu.

Ruský tím požaduje od organizátorov Vuelty verejné ospravedlnenie za incident a prijatie opatrení, aby v budúcnosti nenastali podobné situácie. "Tinkoff-Saxo ako kompenzácie za spôsobené škody navrhuje, aby organizátori venovali finančný príspevok na charitu v mene Tinkoff Sport A/S v dohode s Petrom Saganom vo výške odmeny za víťazstvo v bodovacej súťaži. Tinkoff-Saxo žiada od UCI, aby stiahlo pokutu pre slovenského jazdca za "konanie poškodzujúce imidž cyklistiky". Tím akceptuje pokutu za Saganovu reakciu tesne po páde, ale je absolútne neprípustné trestať ho za poškodzovanie imidžu cyklistiky za takýchto podmienok. Tinkoff Saxo tiež požaduje od UCI v diskusii so zástupcami ostatných tímov prehodnotenie pravidiel, ktoré sa týkajú motoriek jazdiacich v pelotóne. Zmeny musia nastať najneskôr do začiatku budúcej sezóny," uvádza sa ďalej v otvorenom liste. Tinkoff Sport A/S očakáva vyjadrenie k žiadostiam do nedele 13. septembra, teda do posledného dňa Vuelty.

Video incidentu a Saganova reakcia

Vyjadrenie Petra Sagana: http://www.mtbiker.sk/clanky/7875/peter-sagan-dostal-pokutu-za-reakciu-po-pade-zapricinenym-doprovodnou-motorkou-a-dnes-odstupil-koli-zraneniam-v-vuelty.html

Video: http://www.mtbiker.sk/video/7874/8-km-pred-cielom-mal-peter-sagan-pad-ked-do-neho-narazilo-doprovodne-vozidlo.html

Otvorený list - celé znenie

Open letter related to the accident involving Peter Sagan at La Vuelta

to Unipublic S.A.U.
as "La Vuelta a Espa?a" Organizer
attention of Javier Guill?n

and

to Union Cycliste Internationale
attention of Brian Cookson

and

Cc Cyclistes Professionnels Associes
attention of Gianni Bugno

Date 1 September 2015

Re: Open letter related to the accident involving Peter Sagan at La Vuelta

Dear Mr. Guillen and Mr. Cookson,

Tinkoff Sport A/S as managing company of the Tinkoff Saxo professional team feels obliged to address the accident involving its rider, Peter Sagan, during the final kilometres of the 8th stage of La Vuelta a Espa?a when a neutral assistance motorcycle hit him from behind at very high speed causing his fall and consequent retirement from the race due to the severe injuries Peter Sagan sustained from the incident.

I believe the facts are clear and beyond discussion: the driver of the motorcycle carelessly and improperly tried to overtake the reduced peloton at very high speed about 8 km from the finish line apparently in an attempt to reach the leading three riders a few seconds in front.

It is clear that the driver should not have performed the overtaking of the peloton and - at a minimum –he failed to use adequate care in his attempt.

The crash at high speed could have had much more severe consequences for the rider who was defenceless against such an action by the motorcycle"s driver.

Tinkoff - Saxo team and Peter Sagan, one of the highest profile riders in the peloton and a rider on which the team’s success in the Vuelta depended in large part, suffered direct and indirect damages because of the accident for which it would be only reasonable to seek proper indemnification from the responsible party/ies.

In the first instance, however, our team’s priority is that race organisers and other stakeholders learn from this incident and come up with concrete measures to promote the safety of the riders and create a better racing environment. At this stage, therefore, instead of starting an adverse process of litigation, Tinkoff Sport A/S requests the following actions to be implemented:

1. Unipublic as La Vuelta’s race organiser issue a public apology for the incident,
something not done to date;

2. Whilst not seeing this as in any way as compensating for our loss, we propose that Unipublic offer a donation to a charity organization - to be named by Tinkoff Sport A/S in agreement with Peter Sagan - equal to the value of the prize for the Green Jersey victory, or suggest an alternative which acknowledges that as race organiser it has accountability for the safety of its event;

3. Unipublic take appropriate and concrete measures to prevent similar incidents in the remaining stages of the race and its future events;

4. Tinkoff Sport A/S requests that the Union Cycliste Internationale (Uci) revoke the fine to our rider for "behavior that damages the image of cycling". The team and Peter Sagan accept the other fine for the reaction Peter Sagan had after the crash but it is simply inappropriate to fine him for damaging the image of cycling under these circumstances;

5. We also request that the Uci initiate - in consultation with our and other teams’ representatives and other relevant stakeholders - a review of the rules regulating the admission to vehicles" drivers inside the race and the way vehicles are obliged to act while driving in the convoy and peloton, with the intent of implementing appropriate rules changes no later than the start of the 2016 race season.

Tinkoff Sport A/S hopes that all stakeholders can learn from the incident and that some of the requested measures can help to prevent similar unfortunate situations from happening again and to offer better protection of the safety of riders and ensure the fairness of a race.

We hope to hear from both Unipublic and Uci about the above requests during the course of La Vuelta and in any case by no later than the last day of La Vuelta on Sunday 13 September 2015. Tinkoff Sport A/S reserves its rights to initiate proceedings.

Kindest regards
Tinkoff Sport A/S