Stalled motorcycle causes huge crash in Red Hook Criterium (video)

Race motorcycle causes pile-up in the peloton during New York race after it stalls just after the start

Salida y 10 segs después... Accidente y carrera suspendida @Redhookcrit #redhookcrit #rhc pic.twitter.com/UzsCdPixcw

— Zona Cycling (@zonacycling) May 1, 2016

A stalled race motorcycle caused a huge crash in the peloton just after the start of the Red Hook Criterium in New York, USA, on Saturday.

The footage - widely shared on social media - shows the motorcycle leading the race and then coming to an abrupt stop in the middle of the road.

>>> ‘Most motorbikes are there to ensure rider safety’ says De Panne organiser

Several of the leading riders manage to swerve around the motorcycle, although there is not a great deal of room to pass between the barriers at the side of the road.

As soon as one rider hits the back of the motorcycle, it causes a huge pile-up with riders hitting fallen riders and bicycles at speed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tVreQyv1ZQ

On-bike footage posted on Instagram and YouTube gives a rider's-eye view of the incident, apparently filmed by Antoine Fabry.

The Red Hook Criterium features riders competing on fixed wheel bikes around a short and technical circuit. There are four races in the series, in Brooklyn, London, Barcelona and Milan.

Race motorcycles have been involved in a string of incidents this season, with an increasing amount of calls to regulate their use to prevent crashes and injuries. Belgian rider Antoine Demoitié (Wanty Groupe Gobert) died after colliding with a race motorcycle during Ghent-Wevelgem.

Stig Broeckx (Lotto-Soudal) broke his collarbone after hitting a motorcycle during Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and Elia Viviani (Sky) crashed after colliding with a moto at Paris-Roubaix.

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Nigel Wynn
Former Associate Editor

Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.