ORGANISERS of a cycle race have defended their decision to stage the event over the bank holiday weekend after one of the cyclists was killed.
Drivers have criticised race organisers for holding the time trial on the A63 on one of the busiest weekends of the year.
About 100 cyclists were taking part in the race on Friday when one of the riders was hit by a car towing a caravan.
Police confirmed the man on the bike, who has not yet been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident near South Cave.
A spokesman for Cycling Time Trials, the national governing body, said the race was safe and well- organised.
He said: "An accident could happen to anyone riding along the road. It just so happened that this rider had a number of their back.
"There is always a very comprehensive risk assessment carried out before an event like this. Traffic flows are taken into account and the police are notified and have never raised any objections.
"There is a lot of organisation behind these events. There are a number of events like this held on the A63 and this is the first fatality there has been.
"It is not uncommon for time trials to be held on dual carriageways."
He said, although organisers believe the race was well-planned, procedures will be re-evaluated in the wake of the cyclist's death.
"When there is any accident or fatality, the board of Cycling Time Trials will obviously look at what had happened and take that into consideration for the future."
The racing cyclist was nearing the end of the ten-mile course when he was hit by the car towing the caravan on the westbound carriageway, heading out of the city, just after 10.30am.
The race was organised by the Hull City Road Club, which is governed by Cycling Time Trials.
One driver has told how she almost struck one cyclist when she suddenly came across the road race shortly before the accident.
The driver, who asked not to be named, said: "It was a nightmare. Everyone was braking and pulling out to get around the cyclists.
"There was one tiny yellow sign saying 'cycle event' and I only came to that after I had come across three or four cyclists completely unaware.
"I had to pull out to go around them despite traffic passing me in the outer lane. I nearly hit one and I won't have been the only one.
"It was ridiculous to stage an event on such a busy road and on Good Friday with no proper warnings. I'm sorry to say it but I'm not surprised there was an accident."
Posting on Facebook, Richard Johns said: "Got to say, as a cyclist, madness why such a busy road on a bank holiday is ever used as a race circuit. Cycling is risky enough without adding to it. Awful for all involved."
Chris White said: "This was an accident waiting to happen, I have never understood time trialling down the A63."
The time trial course started close to the eastbound slip road on to the A63 from South Cave, with riders leaving the road at North Ferriby before joining the westbound carriageway of the A63. The first participants set off just after 9am.
The road was closed until 4pm after the accident.
