It is still unclear when Beat Breu will be able to pull up the curtains of his circus again. One thing is certain: the 63-year-old is full of energy. “I still have a lot to do,” he says. He still has time for cycling – and follows the Tour de Suisse very closely.
He can also get excited about the races. But something goes against the grain of the cycling legend: «I would forbid radio. The drivers are completely externally controlled, they always know what is going on where. This makes the races much more monotonous. “
It would be a blessing for Breu if the buttons disappeared in the ears of the professionals. “In the back of the vehicles, they watch TV, listen to the tour radio and pass everything on to the drivers. The athletes look like robots to me, just following orders. “
Hirschi: “It would be more interesting”
But what about the security aspect? After all, the athletic directors also warn their protégés about dangerous situations – including badly parked cars, oil on the street or dangerous bends. “A lot is known even before the race. And then there are the motorcycles that drive in front of the drivers – they too can signal something », so the cycling legend from Eastern Switzerland.
The radio should therefore be abolished for Breu. Blick asks the peloton what the riders think about his idea. Marc Hirschi (22) says: “I wouldn’t mind driving without radio. You’d have to be more focused and flexible. The races would be tactically more open and active – simply more interesting. “
It also works at the World Cup and the Olympics
There is no radio at World Championships and Olympic Games. There are no problems. “But the courses are also sealed off there, there are no nasty surprises waiting,” says Michael Schär (34). Nevertheless, he thinks that the buttons in the ear could be forbidden if the route safety – especially in Italy – were to get even better. “The instinct of the driver would be more effective. That would be a win for everyone. “
Silvan Dillier (30) thinks similarly. He’s one of those drivers who doesn’t like to use the slide rule. “You should look at the situation, listen to your inner self and follow your intuition.”