“These cyclists, never respecting pedestrian crossings”: Group of pro cyclists narrowly avoid hitting elderly woman with walking aid on zebra crossing during one-day race

In a bizarre scene that will no doubt mistakenly help fan the flames of hostility in the most vociferously anti-cycling corners of the internet, the breakaway at today’s Rund um Köln one-day race narrowly avoided what would have been a nasty collision with an elderly pedestrian who had wandered across a zebra crossing – despite the road being closed for the race.

With around 115km of today’s Rund um Köln remaining, the woman – seemingly oblivious to the fact that one of Germany’s biggest bike races was taking place – was halfway across the pedestrian crossing just as the seven-strong escape group emerged from a roundabout.

A number of riders were able to move sharply to avoid the bewildered and stunned local (who seemed to be unaware of the racers until they were level with the zebra crossing), though both Team Lotto Kern-Haus’ Mauro Brenner and Caja-Rural’s 28-year-old Czech rider Michal Schlegel, especially, were forced to showcase some expert bike handling skills to narrowly jink either side of the pedestrian.

pic.twitter.com/T3020iij2K

— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) May 26, 2024

Ole Theiler wasn’t so lucky, however, the 21-year-old German hitting the woman’s walking aid with his back wheel, knocking it from her hands and dragging it along the road. While the pedestrian appeared to lose her balance in the collision, both her and Theiler remained, rather miraculously, upright following the bizarre incident.

Fortunately, the race’s finale in Cologne proved much more formulaic and pedestrian-free, as Team DSM-Firmenich’s Casper van Uden comfortably outsprinted Biniam Girmay and Louis Blouwe for the young Dutchman’s second win of the season.

Casper van Uden a remporté #RundumKöln devant Biniam Girmay et Louis Blouwe pic.twitter.com/Yq4Ev1A4wC

— 🚴 Les Rois du Peloton 🚲 (@LRoisDuPeloton) May 26, 2024

Nevertheless, the rather odd near miss sparked some criticism of the race organisation on social media, with some fans describing the lack of marshals stationed at the roundabout and crossing as “terrible course safety”.

“Who let that elderly person even start crossing the road there when there is a group of fast-moving cyclists approaching? Where are the race marshals? A roundabout junction like that must have a marshal!” wrote Mary.

However, others noted the difficulties of policing and safeguarding every local in the vicinity of the riders, especially those seemingly unaware of a race even taking place in their area.

“Despite a live road race going on some pedestrians presume that if they go on crossing race will obey normal rules of road,” said Sean Clancy. “I have had to place marshals at crossings to prevent pedestrians walking out in front of race.”

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The issue of pedestrians using crossings during races – despite the road in question being closed – has become an increasingly common concern in recent years, with a number of oblivious locals spotted availing of the infrastructure during the first time trial of this year’s Giro d’Italia, while riders were hurtling towards them at 50kph.

And at last year’s UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow, delays in ushering spectators and pedestrians across the road at some predetermined but congested crossing spots led to a few near misses with oncoming racers on the city centre circuit.

During the junior men’s road race, one group, including Ireland’s Seth Dunwoody, turned the corner onto Buchanan Street only to be faced with crowds covering the width of the road, with only the frantic attempts of the marshals – and some short sprints from local shoppers – securing just about enough room for the group to squeeze through.

That close organisational call came just hours after France’s Julie Bego, the surprise winner of the women’s junior race after a brave solo ride, made her way around the final left hander, only to see – not the finishing straight or the roar of an appreciate crowd – but a line of pedestrians again crossing the road, in a chaotic cycling version of the Beatles’ Abbey Road album cover.