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Watch: Cyclists in the Paris - Roubaix race narrowly avoid getting hit by train

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Disaster was averted on the one-day Paris - Roubaix classic race on Sunday (April 12) when a group of cyclists narrowly missed an oncoming train by mere seconds.

 Don't believe how close it was? Watch it here.

 

 

 

 

In the video, the barriers around the train level crossing went down as the pack of cyclists approached it.

The 253.5 km race runs from the French town of Compiegne, about 80km outside of Paris, to the town of Roubaix. A lot of it is over cobbled roads and across train crossings. 

According to race rules, cycling across train tracks are not allowed once the barriers are down.

 

The French state railway company, SNCF, has called for police action against cyclists who failed to adhere to safety rules.

"Millions of television viewers saw live this extremely serious and irresponsible action which could have been tragic," the company said.

The organisers, however, decided not to sanction the riders.

In a statement, the organisers said the peloton, or pack, of cyclists was too close from the barriers to stop safely.

“The riders in front could not stop in safe conditions. The second part of the peloton stopped.

“Consequently, the commissaires and the organisers neutralised the first part of the peloton to facilitate a regroupment with the second part of the peloton," said the race jury.

At least they were riding in a sanctioned race, unlike the cyclist captured in a car's dashcam video recently.

Source: Reuters, YouTube, Twitter, Velo News

cyclingUncategorisedFranceTRAINS