Biking Federation of India (CFI) secretary Maninder Singh mentioned street security for skilled cyclists was a priority in Delhi, calling the incident the place a biker hit 24-year-old Asian Championship bronze medalist Esow Alben as ‘scary’. In 2022, the Federation had shifted the camps for street cyclists to Patiala, Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati due to security issues and lack of ‘open’ roads, Singh mentioned.
Esow is considered one of India’s prime observe cyclists and trains on the velodrome on the IG Stadium in Delhi. On Wednesday, Esow was driving as a part of his weekly road-training session when a motorbike struck him from behind. Due to bruises on the hip and cuts, he has been suggested at the least every week’s relaxation by coaches and docs. “I used to be shaken however I’m feeling higher than yesterday,” Esow mentioned.
CFI secretary Singh mentioned riders do take security measures. “It’s scary to be sincere. There are security protocols for our riders however typically unlucky incidents occur,” Singh mentioned. “The cyclists often take routes relying on their requirement. For instance, if it’s a brief journey, they simply go across the IG stadium which is a peripheral street and usually empty. But when they’ve an extended session they take different roads relying on the climate and site visitors,” Singh mentioned.
Speaking about shifting the street cyclists from the capital, Singh mentioned: “Endurance cyclists want lengthy open roads and in Delhi there’s a shortage of such roads. That’s the reason we moved to locations like Patiala, Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati. Additionally the roads there are safer,” Singh mentioned.
After the accident, Esow took to social media platform Instagram to spotlight what occurred. The video confirmed an argument ensuing between the bikers and Esow. A broken cycle and the accidents Esow suffered have been additionally seen.
“I posted on Instagram to boost consciousness about street security. It’s robust for us to get out on roads in Delhi through the day. We often begin at 5 am. Throughout winters, we use reflectors and lights as security measures,” Esow mentioned. “After we practice in Europe, we will exit anytime, day or night time. There it’s protected to cycle on the roads however it isn’t in Delhi. I hope that this incident raises consciousness about it,” Esow added.
The cycles utilized by observe cyclists are costly, Esow’s prices roughly Rs 6 lakhs. “Whereas the cycle was offered to me by the TOPS scheme, the wheel was my very own. I spent Rs 70,000 on it,” Esow mentioned.
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For now, Esow has been offered a substitute cycle by CFI. He has additionally filed an FIR on the Pandav Nagar Police station. “With the assistance of my coaches, I’ve filed an FIR, ” the previous junior world silver medalist mentioned.
The opposite riders, Ronaldo Singh, Rojit Singh, and Jemsh Singh have been forward of Esow through the road-training session when he was hit by the bikers. “I used to be taking the flyover close to Mayur Vihar, that’s when the incident occurred. The opposite riders have been 5 minutes forward of me whereas I used to be driving behind the protection automotive.”