Canadian cyclist calls for improved rider safety after latest crash-riddled start to Tour de France

Following a chaotic, crash-riddled start to the Tour de France, a Canadian cyclist has raised concerns about rider safety.

In a personal blog post shared Tuesday, veteran rider Michael Woods, of Ottawa, scrutinized the Amaury Sport Organisation's commitment to ensuring the safety of riders.

"No matter what ASO says, they love crashes," Woods wrote.

"Despite their claimed 'attempts' to make the sport safer, one gets a sense — when watching any highlight reel they create — that blood, broken bikes, and some poor bastard walking into an ambulance are what they love to sell."

Woods, 38, also advocated for riders to wear protective equipment.

"If you dropped anyone outside the pro peloton into this Tour field during any of the first three stages, they would think, 'Why the hell am I not wearing hockey equipment right now?'

Woods detailed a four-pronged approach that he believes will alleviate the risk of injury to riders: lowering speed, decreasing peloton size, reducing distraction, and rethinking the relegation system.

The Israel-Premier Tech rider suggested organizers can do a better job of mitigating the risks riders must incur if they hope to achieve results in competitions.

"ASO telling riders 'you need to take less risk' is like the NBA telling Steph Curry, 'you need to shoot fewer threes.' It does nothing," Woods wrote.

Serious crashes are common in the Tour de France, particularly in the first week.

During the third stage of this year's installment, star sprinter Jasper Philipsen of Belgium suffered a broken collarbone and at least one rib after a hit, ending his Tour.

Very hard crash and Tour de France over for the green jersey man Jasper Philipsen… dream that turned into a nightmare