Daniel Benson<\/a>,\u00a0six teams have criticised the UCI\u2019s decision to implement the trial without prior consultation, to grant itself the right to force teams to mount a device on a rider\u2019s bike without permission, and to limit the trial to just one rider per squad.<\/p>\n\u201cWe made it clear that we would not select a rider ourselves, nor install, remove, or maintain the device,\u201d the teams said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
The six teams who protested the decision were AG Insurance-Soudal, Canyon-SRAM, EF-Education-Oatly, Lidl-Trek, Picnic PostNL, and Visma-Lease a Bike, leading to the UCI threatening them with disqualification from the race.<\/p>\n
Of those six teams, AG Insurance-Soudal will be the only team taking part in the race and today\u2019s opening stage, a short 4km uphill time trial.<\/p>\n
The other five squads have all been disqualified, putting the Tour de Romandie\u2019s starting numbers below the minimum of 90 required for the race to count towards Women\u2019s WorldTour points.<\/p>\n
Lidl-Trek told road.cc this morning that, following this threat, the teams attempted to reach a compromise with the governing body, informing it that it could fit the devices, but that all riders should be included in the trial, to avoid one team member being placed at a \u201cdisadvantage\u201d.<\/p>\n
However, the Lidl-Trek spokesperson told us that the UCI then turned down this offer, throwing the race into chaos.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven when we said that the UCI could fit the devices, when we were threatened with DQ they declined our offer,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
![\"Crowds](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20250803tdffaz1055.JPG\" "\\"Crowds")
Crowds watch the final stage of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes (credit: ASO\/Pauline Ballet)<\/p>\n
In response to the furore, the UCI has issued its own lengthy statement, condemning the teams\u2019 refusal to take part in the trial and \u201ccomply with the rules of the race\u201d, a move the governing body described as \u201cdeplorable\u201d and one that undermines its safety efforts. The UCI also indicated that it may consider further punishments for the five protesting teams.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe decision of these teams to oppose the specific rules for the event is surprising, and undermines the cycling family\u2019s efforts to ensure the safety of all riders in road cycling by developing this new technology,\u201d the UCI said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs communicated in the specific rules for the event and in accordance with articles 1.3.073 and 2.12.007\/3.5.3 of the UCI Regulations, teams were required to designate one rider on whose bike the GPS tracker would be fixed. Teams were given further explanations during the Sport Directors pre-event meeting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe UCI regrets that certain teams have objected to the test by not nominating a rider to carry the tracking device and have therewith opted to be excluded from the Tour de Romandie F\u00e9minin. In view of this situation, the UCI shall consider if other measures are warranted in accordance with the UCI Regulations.\u201d<\/p>\n
The statement continued: \u201cAs a reminder, this test involves one rider per team carrying a GPS tracking device, weighing 63 grams, during the three stages (15-17 August) of the Swiss UCI Women\u2019s WorldTour stage race. The same technology will be deployed at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, where all riders will carry the device.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe decision to implement this test of GPS safety tracking technology was made by SafeR, the structure dedicated to safety in women\u2019s and men\u2019s road cycling, bringing together representatives of all road cycling\u2019s stakeholders.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe objective of the test is to refine the UCI\u2019s safety tracking software and establish protocols to provide real-time data to race control, medical teams and UCI Commissaires.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis system will strengthen the monitoring of rider safety during races and enable rapid response in case of incidents. The initiative is part of the UCI\u2019s ongoing efforts to protect rider safety, and broader implementation of this technology is envisaged for coming seasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe UCI has worked with the organisers to ensure the smooth running and efficiency of the test and thanks them for their implication in ensuring rider safety.\u00a0 It is regrettable that the actions of some teams will impact this important international event.\u201d<\/p>\n
Confirming that Canyon-SRAM, EF Education-Oatly, Lidl-Trek, Picnic PostNL, and Visma-Lease a Bike are all excluded from the race, the UCI said: \u201cIt should be noted that most of these teams are part of the Velon organisation which is the owner of its own data transmission system and is working on the development of its own GPS tracking system.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe UCI\u2019s priority is to ensure the safety of riders. It works with the entire cycling family towards this goal, and the collaboration with most stakeholders is positive and constructive. It is deplorable to witness the refusal of certain teams to move forward together to protect the safety of riders, and the UCI condemns their non-cooperation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe UCI has taken it upon itself to seek to impose on-bike tracking under the banner of \u2018safety\u2019 for the benefit of the UCI\u2019s world championships\u201d<\/p>\n
However, in a joint statement, the five disqualified teams hit back at the UCI, saying they are \u201cshocked and disappointed\u201d by the decision \u2013 while questioning the governing body\u2019s refusal to work with pro cycling organisation Velon and its GPS system.<\/p>\n
\u201cEarlier 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,\u201d the teams said in the statement.<\/p>\n
Referring to Velon\u2019s data-tracking system, first launched in 2019, the teams continued: \u201cDespite 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reason why they don\u2019t want to nominate a rider themselves is still unknown and unanswered.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite 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 referring to an email of the team\u2019s union) but have nevertheless decided to carry on and disqualify the teams with their riders.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the letter sent by the original six protesting teams to the governing body this morning, the squads also emphasised their support for measures designed to improve rider safety \u2013 but criticised the UCI\u2019s decision to \u201cimpose on-bike tracking\u201d for the benefit of its own world championships, from which it earns commercial revenue.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Teams are fully supportive of measures to improve the safety of riders in all races. The SafeR project seeks to achieve this through a collaborative approach supported by all stakeholders,\u201d the letter said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is proven in the successful testing of a safety tracking system across the entire peloton in both the men\u2019s and women\u2019s Tour de Suisse with the consent and collaboration of all stakeholders, a test the UCI was given full access to.<\/p>\n
\u201cSadly, the UCI, in its capacity as regulator of professional cycling, has now taken it upon itself to seek to impose on-bike tracking under the banner of \u2018safety\u2019 for the benefit of the UCI\u2019s World Championship, a race owned, organised and commercialised by the UCI.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Pauline](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/20250803tdffaz1077.JPG\" "\\"Pauline")
Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot, Demi Vollering, Naimh Fisher-Black, Sarah Gigante, and Kasia Niewiadoma, stage nine, 2025 Tour de France Femmes (credit: ASO\/Pauline Ballet)<\/p>\n
Focusing on the details of the GPS trial, the letter continued: \u201cThe right to mount a device to a bicycle of a rider of a team remains with the relevant team. This right is recognised by all stakeholders in professional cycling, in particular those race organisers who have successfully collaborated with the teams on on-bike tracking over the last decade.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf a device needs to be mounted it should only be done with the consent and close collaboration of the teams.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, the UCI now seems to dispute this right and rather than seeking the permission of the teams and\/or collaborating with the teams, the UCI wishes to grant itself\/a third party partner the right to mount a device on a team\u2019s bicycle without the team\u2019s consent.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the sports directors meeting on Friday morning, the teams told the UCI\u2019s imposition of tracking devices for the Tour de Romandie, \u201cor any race for that matter\u201d.<\/p>\n
The teams then attempted to compromise with the UCI to reach a solution, conceding that they would not stop the governing body and its partners attacking devices to riders\u2019 bikes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe staff of the Teams will not mount, remove, charge or in any way manage the devices throughout the race,\u201d the letter said. \u201cThe staff has been instructed not to touch the devices and we assume no liability for any damage to the devices attached to the bicycles.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, the teams insisted that they would not consent to the GPS data captured by the devices being used by the UCI, while noting that the person who attaches the devices will be held liable for any potential injury or damage caused by it.<\/p>\n
The protesting teams also told the UCI that they would not select an individual rider to carry the device, \u201cas it will put that rider in a disadvantage against other riders, which is clearly discriminatory\u201d.<\/p>\n
Finally, the teams quoted the UCI\u2019s letter from earlier this week, in which the governing body stated: \u201cThe broader discussion on the implementation of GPS rider safety tracking across professional cycling is a major topic and discussions involving all stakeholders will be held.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe UCI\u2019s conduct clearly contradicts this statement and sentiment,\u201d the teams pointed out.<\/p>\n
In their joint statement, the teams concluded: \u201cThis 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
\u201cWe are always at the forefront to make cycling a safer sport, but it should be achieved through collaboration, not coercion.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Tour de Romandie F\u00e9minin has descended into chaos before the start of the first stage, with the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":68864,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[4985,101,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-68863","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling","8":"tag-cycling","9":"tag-sports","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68863","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68863"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68863\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/68864"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68863"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68863"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68863"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}