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SEXISM

Carry on kissing? Spain’s Vuelta cycling race looks for lip service

Vuelta e Espana chiefs will set-up "a committee of experts" to rule on whether or not it is sexist or even appropriate for podium girls to carry on kissing the winners of the classic cycling race.

Published: 21 July 2017 10:20 CEST
Carry on kissing? Spain's Vuelta cycling race looks for lip service
AFP Photo DOCUMENT REFERENCE000_PAR2159841 SLUGCYCLING - ESP - VUELTA CREATION DATE9/16/2008 CITY/COUNTRYZAMORA, SPAIN CREDITJAIME REINA / AFP FILE SIZE/PIXELS/DPI10.94 Mb / 2332 x 1640 / 300 dpi CYCL

Feminist groups in Spain want the tradition of attractive young women delivering chaste kisses on the cheeks of the daily stage and category winners halted, claiming it is demeaning.

“We are debating whether to kiss or not. We are not going to ban it because we are in a western society but we envisage that we not recommend the two kisses on the rider's cheeks,” said a defiant Javier Guillen, the head of Unipublic, the body that runs the three-week race.

The committee is expected to reveal its conclusions before the start of the event on August 19th.

Guillen said organisers could even introduce men to take part in the podium's daily prize giving.

“If we need to hire a steward, we will do it, we will alternate the awarding of prizes between hostesses and stewards,” said Guillen.

READ MORE: Spain overhauls tradition of 'sexist' double-barrelled surnames.

CYCLING

Swiss rider dies after fall into ravine on Tour of Switzerland

Swiss rider Gino Maeder has died from the injuries he sustained when he plunged into a ravine during a stage of the Tour of Switzerland, his team Bahrain-Victorious said on Friday.

Published: 16 June 2023 12:54 CEST
Swiss rider dies after fall into ravine on Tour of Switzerland

Maeder, 26, fell during a high-speed descent on the fifth stage between Fiesch and La Punt on Thursday, after an exhausting day marked by three ascents over 2,000 metres altitude.

He had been found “lifeless in the water” of a ravine below the road, “immediately resuscitated then transported to the hospital in Chur by air”, organisers said.

But the next day, “Gino lost his battle to recover from the serious injuries he sustained,” Bahrain-Victorious said in a statement.

“It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we must announce the passing of Gino Mäder,” his team wrote in a statement.

“On Friday June 16th, following a very serious fall during the fifth stage of the Tour de Suisse, Gino lost his fight to recover from the serious injuries he had suffered. Our entire team is devastated by this tragic accident, and our thoughts and prayers are with Gino’s family and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time.”

“Despite the best efforts of the phenomenal staff at Chur hospital, Gino couldn’t make it through this, his final and biggest challenge, and at 11:30am we said goodbye to one of the shining lights of our team,” the team said in a statement.

Maeder had enjoyed a strong start to the season, finishing fifth in the Paris-Nice race.

American rider Magnus Sheffield also fell on the same descent from Albula, during the most difficult stage of the race with multiple climbs. The Ineos-Grenadiers rider was hospitalised with “bruises and concussion,” organisers said.

On Thursday, world champion Remco Evenepoel criticised the decision to compete on such a dangerous road.

“While a summit finish would have been perfectly possible, it wasn’t a good decision to let us finish down this dangerous descent,” the Belgian wrote on Twitter.

“As riders, we should also think about the risks we take going down a mountain.”

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