Richard Plug, team manager of Visma Lease-a-Bike, is outspoken but seldom angry. But the recent spate of high-speed crashes and injuries have taken a toll on his riders, and the Dutch manager is saddened and angry at the lack of progress in improving safety in professional cycling.

It is estimated that 40 World Tour riders have suffered serious crashes in the opening months of the 2024 season. Wout van Aert missed the biggest cobbled classics due to his crash at Doire de Flanderen and will not recover in time to compete in the Giro d'Italia.

Two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard suffered a broken collarbone that will require surgery, as well as broken ribs, a lung contusion, and a pneumothorax. It is too early to confirm whether Vingegaard will be able to compete in the Tour de France and contend for overall victory, but there are only 77 days left until the start in Florence.

"Only after we see how they recover as human beings can we consider when they will return to cycling. At this point it is premature. We need to let them rest and recover," Plug told Cycling News.

As manager of a big-budget men's and women's program, Plugge is also acutely aware of the financial damage that crashes and injuries can mean.

He cares about his riders, but he also knows that a season or two without significant success can lead to sponsors leaving the team. Pro cycling is both a sport and a volatile entertainment business.

"We have to protect our friends, but we also have to think about business. This is detrimental to our sport," Pugge said last week.

Puget emphasized the damage Ituria's crash could do to this year's Tour de France.

"Crashes ruin our sport," he said bluntly. Everyone was looking forward to a showdown between Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar, Primoz Roglic, and Remco Evenpole at the Tour de France. But that may not happen. It would be incredibly sad for the sport if one of them would not make it to the Tour de France. Something has to be done."

Plug's anger stems from his frustration at witnessing the drama and pain of the crashes and how little seems to have been done to protect riders as the speed of the race, bike technology, road furniture, and other factors combine to make professional cycling more dangerous. This stems from frustration with the fact that little seems to have been done to protect riders as professional cycling becomes more dangerous.

"It is very painful to see riders on the ground and young people, their families and friends suffer because of it. It's hard to see any rider fall hard, not just Jonas or Wout," Pragge said.

Pragge has irritated many in the sport, especially among rival teams, because of Visma Lease-a-Bike's recent dominance and the rugged attitude with which he managed the AIGCP Team Association before being ousted in March.

He is also involved in the One Cycling project, which hopes to create an alternative business model for the team, perhaps by attracting outside investment from Saudi Arabia and countering the status quo and control of the UCI and Tour de France organizer ASO.

But while Pragge has made Visma Lease-a-Bike one of the best teams in the sport, he has also been committed to the cycling community. He was instrumental in the creation of SafeR, an independent organization founded and funded by stakeholders in the sport to improve safety.

Cycling News understands that the implementation and revitalization of the SafeR project has been delayed by bureaucratic reasons and debates about leadership. Plug is angry about that.

"The lack of action on safety saddens me and makes me really angry," Pragge said angrily, but choosing his words carefully.

"We have a solution with the SafeR project. Basically, we are ready, but for political reasons, it's really dragging on. For years there has been an urgency for safety, but how many wake-up calls does it take?

"When safety improves, safety improves, and that's good for everybody.

Pragge hopes that everyone involved in the sport, including the fans watching from afar, will understand the importance of safety in the sport.

He praised ASO for prioritizing safety over history and high speed by adding a chicane at the entrance to the Arenberg Forest, but stressed that footage of the crash was used in a promotional video for the race.

"It is ridiculous to laugh at ASOs and CPAs who want chicanes and ask why they need them. Laughing at ASOs and CPAs who want chicanes and asking why they need them is ridiculous. That is old fashioned thinking. Instead of thinking it's a joke, have a conversation with someone and make it better," he said, as a response to Mathieu van der Pol's question about chicane.

Prag is aware that some fans want a wet Paris-Roubaix to add to the visual drama of the race on the cobblestones.

"People sitting in front of their TVs or glued to social media should be racing on wet cobblestones.

Prague wants UCI president David Lapartient to take the lead on safety. This French president is probably the only person with enough authority to unite all other stakeholders.

On Friday, Ineos Grenadiers team owner Jim Ratcliffe called on the "governing body" to take "real action."

Prudge concurred.

"I think David LaPariente should, as the Dutch say, pick up the gloves. Because he is all for improving safety.

"Everyone has to do their part to improve safety. Not just the riders, but the teams, the sponsors, the race organizers, the UCI, and of course the fans and the people who love this sport.

"We must all be prepared to change the sport. Even if the change is undesirable, even if it costs us. In the long run, we will benefit. We must put safety first."