Cycling-German riders call to replace motorbikes with scooters

July 12 (Reuters) - A group of German riders led by Tony Martin and Marcel Kittel has called for scooters to be used instead of motorbikes during cycle races to help reduce accidents. Belgian rider Stig Broeckx went into a coma following a crash in May caused by motorbikes at the Tour of Belgium, while compatriot Antoine Demoitie died after being hit by a motorbike during the Gent-Wevelgem one-day race in March. Following the accidents, the International Cycling Union(UCI) said it would look into the size and power of motorbikes to determine the seriousness of the danger they posed to riders. Motorbikes have multiple functions during a race: some transport reporters and photographers, others race stewards and the regulators who decide who can overtake and when. Martin, a three times time-trial world champion, suggested that using scooters would reduce fatal collisions. "There's a big difference between 300kg falling on you and 150kg," Martin told the German newspaper Bild. "I thought some of the suggestions would be implemented at the Criterium du Dauphine (in June) but I'm disappointed that they weren't, he added. The list of demands published included motorbikes not being allowed to overtake riders on the race route and instead take a parallel lane to avoid crashes. Kittel, who rides for the Etixx-Quick-Step team and has won stages on the three grand tours, and Martin called themselves spokesmen for the group of German riders. (Reporting by Ian Rodricks in Bengaluru; Editing by Rex Gowar)