Philippe Gilbert, speaking on behalf of his fellow professionals after the recent horrific crash at the Vuelta a Burgos, said, "It is time that the topic of safety is taken seriously."

Rider safety has been on the agenda in recent years after a series of alarming accidents, but according to Gilbert, riders are still being placed in dangerous situations.

Last week, David Decker crashed at high speed in the last kilometer of the second stage of the Vuelta a Burgos after a speed bump on the descent.

Gilbert has represented the UCI at safety meetings in recent years, urging improvements in various areas, but in Burgos, both race organizers and the UCI highlighted shortcomings and called for change.

"As the athlete representative on the UCI athletes' committee, I support all the athletes who unfortunately crashed at the Tour of Burgos. I stand for the safety of athletes and denounce these violations," Gilbert said in a statement.

"I have asked the UCI to create a protocol for the recognition, control and verification of race routes, especially finishes. However, this has not yet been implemented. Unfortunately, athletes are always the victims of this negligence."

"It is about time that the topic of safety is taken seriously. Things need to change for cycling."

"The cycling industry needs to change its ways.

Gilbert made an important statement when the UCI overhauled its safety protocols early last year.

"There must be no narrow road widths, traffic islands, speed bumps, or other obstacles in the last kilometer," the "Specifications for Organizers," a supplement to the standard regulations for World Tour and Pro Series event organizers, states, and Burgos falls into the latter category.

The UCI regulations include a clause stating that "under no circumstances" can the governing body "be held responsible for defects on the course that might cause an accident. Safety violations are considered the responsibility of the race organizer and are punishable by fines.

However, Gilbert clearly feels that effective UCI protocols are still lacking.

As part of new safety measures introduced last year, organizers are required to appoint an event safety manager and report to the UCI safety manager. A full assessment of the route and its hazards is required, and the supplementary World Tour and Pro Series specifications state that a risk assessment, including a more detailed assessment of the final 3km, is to be shared with the UCI, teams and the CPA (riders' association) six weeks before the event.

Cycling News reached out to the UCI for comment following the incident in Burgos, but did not receive a response.