Six professional cycling teams, including Visma – Lease a Bike and Picnic PostNL, have been disqualified from the 2025 Tour de Romandie Féminin after refusing to comply with the UCI’s requirement to install a new tracking system on their bikes. The teams raised concerns about liability in the event of incidents and pointed to their existing investments in Velon’s system, which closely resembles the UCI’s version, according to Wielerflits. The disagreement highlights ongoing tensions between teams and the governing body over technology, safety, and commercial rights in pro cycling.
According to Daniel Benson, the teams tried to reach a compromise, proposing that the tracking system be used by all riders rather than just one per team. They also requested that any devices be fitted by the UCI, rather than by team mechanics, as the UCI had attempted to enforce.
The six teams involved are Lidl–Trek, Canyon SRAM, EF Education–Oatly, AG Insurance–Soudal, Visma – Lease a Bike, and Picnic PostNL, Benson reported. As far as Canadians, that would mean Isabella Holmgren from Lidl–Trek and Magdeleine Vallières from EF would be affected. The others from Canadian racing are Simone Boilard from UNO-X and Movistar’s Olivia Baril.
In early August, the UCI announced the pilot tracking project, partly in response to the death of 18-year-old Muriel Furrer, who crashed during the 2024 junior women’s road race in Zurich and lay undiscovered for over an hour after veering into a forested area, highlighting the need for real-time GPS tracking.