The CPA, the union of professional cyclists, has asked the UCI to launch an investigation into the crash in the opening stage of the Tour de Pollogne in which Fabio Jacobsen was seriously injured.

In a letter to UCI President David Lapartient and Tour de Pollogne Director Agata Lang, CPA President Gianni Bugno reiterated the association's demand for universal standards for barriers in the finish area, He questioned why the race organization decided to hold a downhill finish in Katowice on a stage that was likely to end in a group sprint.

The CPA also stressed the need for "exemplary penalties" for riders who cause such crashes.

Jacobsen underwent five and a half hours of facial surgery overnight, and the Dutch national champion is in a coma in an intensive care unit in Sosnowiec, Poland. His Deceuninck-QuickStep team describes his condition as "stable."

Dylan Groenewegen (Jumbo Visma) was disqualified from the Tour de Pollogne for his involvement in the crash and fined CHF 500. On Wednesday evening, the UCI issued a statement calling Groenewegen's actions "unacceptable," but did not mention the dangers of the finale stage or the inadequate barriers on the finish straight.

"From the record of the accident, the barriers appear to be too low to guarantee any real protection in the event of a crash, and they appear to be inadequately secured to the supports so that they "fly everywhere" after impact. The same goes for the signage on the side of the race course," Bugno wrote on behalf of the CPA.

"We ask if any checks were made before the race began to ensure that these protective devices were adequate and properly installed."

At the UCI Technical and Regulations Working Group meetings, Bugno added, the CPA has repeatedly requested the use of "standard and approved" barriers to protect riders.

"We consider it appropriate and urgent to accept our demand for 'approved barriers' and no longer allow organizers freedom of choice regarding the use of certain unsafe protections or barriers used at the most critical points of the race," Bugno wrote.

Speaking to Cycling News on Thursday, Robbie McEwen said he had lobbied the UCI in his professional days to introduce standard metal barriers at race finishes to bring fallen riders back onto the road. 'The Polish barriers flew around in all directions and looked like plastic to me,' he said. One of them broke into pieces. There is a lot of work to be done as far as safety in the last few hundred meters."

The CPA letter also criticized the decision to end the stage on the downhill section of Katowice.

"The speed of the riders in these conditions certainly makes the show attractive, but at too high a price for the riders.

"I therefore ask that you reconsider the arrival of downhill riders in races where a group sprint is expected.

As a final point, Bugno called on the UCI to set an example by imposing "very severe" sanctions on the riders who caused the crash.

"I ask that the penalties for riders who commit misconduct, such as Dylan Groenewegen yesterday, be very severe," Bugno wrote.

"Riders must be educated to respect their rivals through exemplary penalties so that fair play and sporting spirit are not overlooked.