{"id":74268,"date":"2025-08-16T14:30:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-16T14:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/74268\/"},"modified":"2025-08-16T14:30:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-16T14:30:13","slug":"uci-condemns-teams-refusal-to-participate-in-gps-test-at-romandie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/74268\/","title":{"rendered":"UCI \u2018condemns\u2019 teams\u2019 refusal to participate in GPS test at Romandie"},"content":{"rendered":"

Big day at the races. After multiple teams were disqualified<\/a> before the start of the Tour de Romandie F\u00e9minin, the UCI has weighed in.<\/p>\n

The international governing body said it condemns the decision by several teams to refuse participation in a GPS safety tracking test during the Tour de Romandie F\u00e9minin, a three-stage Women\u2019s WorldTour race from August 15-17.<\/p>\n

The UCI described the move as \u201csurprising\u201d and said it \u201cundermines the cycling family\u2019s efforts to ensure the safety of all riders.\u201d Teams were required to designate one rider to carry a 63-gram GPS device, designed to provide real-time data to race control, medical teams, and UCI Commissaires.<\/p>\n

Regarding Tour Romandie Feminin. The 5 teams that were disqualified by UCI were disqualified NOT for refusing the mandated(not agreed upon) GPS, but for not nominating which rider should carry the device and asking the UCI to nominate the rider. Difficult to understand? I agree.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Jonathan Vaughters (@Vaughters) August 15, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

The same technology is planned for the 2025 UCI Road world championships in Kigali, Rwanda, where all riders will be equipped.<\/p>\n

The teams refusing the test\u2014Canyon\/\/Sram zondacrypto, EF Education\u2013Oatly, Lidl\u2013Trek, Team Picnic PostNL, and Team Visma \u2013 Lease a Bike\u2014are largely part of Velon, which is developing its own GPS system.<\/p>\n

The UCI emphasized that the initiative, led by SafeR, aims to refine protocols and \u201cstrengthen the monitoring of rider safety during races and enable rapid response in case of incidents.\u201d It added that \u201cit is deplorable to witness the refusal of certain teams to move forward together to protect the safety of riders\u201d and condemned their non-cooperation.<\/p>\n

That means two Canadians won\u2019t be racing Friday: Lidl\u2013Trek\u2019s Isabella Holmgren, and EF\u2019s Magdeleine Valli\u00e8res. Given the reduced field, it may also affect UCI points.<\/p>\n

UPDATE: The teams affected have released a statement, as posted by Procyclingstats.com<\/a>: Here it is below in full:<\/p>\n

\u201cStatement by the disqualified teams: We are shocked and disappointed by the UCI\u2019s decision to disqualify several teams, including ours, from the Tour de Romandie F\u00e9minin.<\/p>\n

Earlier this week, all affected teams sent formal letters to the UCI expressing support for rider safety but raising serious concerns about the unilateral imposition of a GPS tracking device to just one of the riders per team.<\/p>\n

We made clear that:<\/p>\n

\u2022We would not select a rider ourselves, nor install, remove, or maintain the device.<\/p>\n

\u2022The UCI or its partner was free to select a rider and install the device at their own liability if they believe they are in their right to do so.<\/p>\n

Despite our cooperation and the existence of a proven and collaborative safety tracking system already tested successfully in other major races (fully operational for the whole peloton and offered to the UCI), the UCI has chosen to impose this measure without clear consent, threaten disqualification, and now exclude us from the race for not selecting a rider ourselves. The reason why they don\u2019t want to nominate a rider themselves is still unknown and unanswered.<\/p>\n

Despite multiple requests by the teams over the last two days, the UCI commissaires were unable to demonstrate on the basis of which precise UCI rule teams are obligated to discriminate one rider against other riders in terms of obligations (except for officially refering to an email of the teams\u2019s union) but have nevertheless decided to carry on and disqualify the teams with their riders.<\/p>\n

This action disregards the rights of teams and riders, applies the measure in a discriminatory manner, and contradicts the UCI\u2019s own stated commitment to dialogue with stakeholders.<\/p>\n

We are always at the forefront to make cycling a safer sport, but it should be achieved through collaboration, not coercion.\u201d<\/p>\n