Cycling safety lag raises concerns at world championships in Montreal

As the UCI Road World Championships take place in Montreal, the sport is facing renewed scrutiny over safety after at least 11 cyclists died in races or training rides this year. Riders and officials are debating how to better protect competitors as race speeds continue to rise. The article says the average speed of recent toplevel races has increased sharply over the past century, with riders now reaching more than 100 km/h on descents. Proposed safety measures include GPS trackers for realtime crash response, safer course design, and experimental protective gear such as airbags. Some riders argue that changes that slow races would alter the nature of professional cycling, while others say the rules have not kept pace with the risks. The piece also points to the death of Swiss rider Muriel Furrer as a catalyst for new tracking systems and highlights ongoing discussions within the UCI and safety task forces.