Track cyclists thundered through the oval at the exhibition hall in Munich on Tuesday as well. One of the most important men for the implementation of competitions within the framework of the European Championship was there again – Sebastian von Lutken. These days the railway is repaired by a carpenter. If there are falls, the man from Osterholz-Scharmbeck is there. And there is so much to do these days.

It was only broken again on Monday, and soon after von Lutken climbed onto the track with a ladder and smoothed out the knots with a grinder. Five drivers collided in the women’s four-way Omnium’s points race. Johanna Kiti Borissa (Hungary), Emily Kay (Ireland) and Mike van der Duyn (Netherlands) managed to leave the track without any major problems.

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But Greeks Argyro Milaki and Hanna Solovezh from Ukraine had to undergo treatment for a long time. Both track cyclists were taken to hospital on stretchers. Tuesday also had no initial knowledge of the severity of the injuries – as did Leticia Paternoster. The Italian injured his right collarbone and suffered a concussion in the fall last Saturday.

Track cycling days in Munich are under a bad star. Many waterfalls have little to do with luck or bad luck, but for carpenter Sebastian von Lutken, they often have to do with the track that needs to be returned to form. The length of the exhibition hall is only 200 meters instead of the usual 250 meters. This increases centrifugal forces on bends – and accordingly increases the risk of falling.

The exhibition halls are not of a high standard

The track is one of the few negative examples of these races in Munich. Organizers declare sustainable games. The construction of large temporary arenas was avoided. However, the track in Exhibition Hall C1 is by no means high in terms of safety.

There is no sport that requires more attention to the safety aspect. Women travel at a speed of 70 km/h, while men top out at 10 km/h. The gears of the wheels are rigid and there are no brakes. Seven meters wide like in Munich is not too big to avoid falling.

Accidents in track cycling are not a particular problem in Munich. They happen everywhere, as national sprint coach Jan van Eijden wanted to make clear on Tuesday to defend the organizers. “It’s part of the sport, especially cycling. When you go on the track, you have to accept that you can fall,” he said. But the venue had already been criticized before the European Championships. The recent violent accidents confirm the fear.

Hazards also overshadow the major sports in the exhibition hall. Above all, German athlete extraordinaire Emma Hinz is in top form. The 24-year-old defeated France’s Mathilde Gross in the sprint final on Monday. Only a photo at the finish could provide information about the winner, and it was very close. After wins in the team sprint and 500m time trial, Hinz won his third gold medal in Munich. Monday’s win was the most emotional for her, mainly because she had major stomach issues that day. Hinze decided not to start in Keerin for health reasons.