On the same day that new CPA President Adam Hansen appealed to sports directors to use more caution in races, Jay Vine was almost taken down by his own UAE Team Emirates car during stage 4 of the Giro d'Italia.
Hansen spoke out on Tuesday after AG2R Citroën's Lawrence Naesen claimed he was struck from behind by the Groupama-FDJ car during Sunday's Tro-Bro Léon, accusing sports director Frederic Guesdon of knocking him down.
During the Giro d'Italia stage to Lago Laceno, Vine was behind the peloton riding alongside the driver's side of the UAE Team Emirates team car, resting his right hand on the door frame of the car. The driver made a sudden veer to the left to move around another team car, resulting in Vine losing his balance.
In an amazing feat of luck and bike handling, Vine was able to rest his body against the car and push himself back into balance before riding back to the peloton.
The incident was far less egregious than the one involving Naesen during Tro-Bro Léon where the car ran into Naesen, causing him to crash and then "driving off as if nothing happened", according to a witness.
Vine finished the stage in 16th position, along with all of the GC favourites behind stage winner Aurélien Paret-Peintre (AG2R Citroen), to hold onto 10th place overall behind new leader Andreas Leknessund (Team DSM).
