Urška Žigart crash prompts safety overhaul in professional women's cycling

Slovenian rider Urška Žigart suffered a broken jaw after a fall in the second stage of a race in Switzerland, joining fellow competitors Sara Casasola, Ginia Caluori and Maya Kingma who also sustained injuries. The incident led the women’s division of the Cyclistes Professionnels Associés (CPA) to question whether the current safety system, SafeR, adequately protects competitors.

The CPA, which is directly involved in SafeR’s governance, reiterated its support for the programme but warned that “Čas je za oceno in krepitev načina delovanja SafeR” – it is time to evaluate and strengthen the way SafeR works. The federation called for clearer structures, stronger tools and greater authority to detect and prevent risks before crashes occur. SafeR currently operates through three committees that include riders, teams, race organisers and the UCI.

The calls highlight growing concerns about rider safety in professional women’s road cycling and may lead to revisions of the safety protocols that govern the sport.