UCI disqualify five teams from Tour de Romandie Feminin over GPS safety trackers dispute - 'Refused to comply with the rules'

Four WorldTour teams and one ProTeam have been disqualified from the Tour de Romandie Feminin, the UCI have confirmed.

Lidl-Trek, Visma-Lease a Bike, Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto, EF Education-Oatly and Picnic-PostNL have all been excluded over a dispute regarding GPS safety trackers.

Indeed, the UCI and the teams are in a dispute over a new safety system with GPS for riders' bikes. 

The technology transmits riders’ locations in real time, and is designed to increase safety in the peloton. It was introduced after the death of 18-year-old Muriel Furrer during last year’s UCI Road World Championships in Glasgow. 

Romandie was chosen as the first test ahead of full deployment at next month’s World Championships, which will see every rider required to carry the device.

However, some teams were concerned about the liability and fairness of the trial, which calls for one rider per team to carry the tracker across all three stages.

Team managers have not wanted to nominate a single rider, arguing that this placed that rider at a disadvantage compared to the rest of the peloton.

The UCI have now condemned the teams' actions and confirmed their expulsion from the race.

The statement read: "The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) regrets that certain teams on the start list for the Tour de Romandie Feminin have refused to comply with the rules for the race related to the implementation of GPS trackers as a test for a new safety system. The test is being carried out over the course of the three-stage UCI Women’s WorldTour event.

"The decision of these teams to oppose the specific rules for the event is surprising, and undermines the cycling family’s efforts to ensure the safety of all riders in road cycling by developing this new technology.

"As 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. The 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 Feminin. In view of this situation, the UCI shall consider if other measures are warranted in accordance with the UCI Regulations.

"Details of the test were communicated on August and in a detailed pre-race communique. As a reminder, this test involves one rider per team carrying a GPS tracking device, weighing 63 grams, during the three stages (August 15-17) of the Swiss UCI Women’s 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.

"The decision to implement this test of GPS safety tracking technology was made by SafeR, the structure dedicated to safety in women’s and men’s road cycling, bringing together representatives of all road cycling’s stakeholders: organisers (Association Internationale des Organisateurs de Courses Cyclistes - AIOCC), teams (Association Internationale des Groupes Cyclistes Professionnels - AIGCP), riders (Cyclistes Professionnels Associes – CPA, and CPA Women).

"The objective of the test is to refine the UCI’s safety tracking software and establish protocols to provide real-time data to race control, medical teams and UCI Commissaires. This 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’s ongoing efforts to protect rider safety, and broader implementation of this technology is envisaged for coming seasons.

"The Tour de Romandie Feminin’s three different stage formats – individual time trial, point to point, and a circuit – makes the event ideally suited to test the system developed by its timing partner, Swiss Timing, which is also the provider for the Tour de Romandie Feminin. The 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. It is regrettable that the actions of some teams will impact this important international event.

"The teams that have refused to participate in the GPS tracking technology test – and that are therefore excluded from the Tour de Romandie Feminin – are: Canyon//Sram zondacrypto, EF Education – Oatly, Lidl –Trek, Team Picnic PostNL, Team Visma | Lease a Bike.

"It 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.

"The UCI’s 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."

In response, a statement on behalf of all the penalised teams read: "We are shocked and disappointed by the UCI’s decision to disqualify several teams, including ours, from the Tour de Romandie Feminin.

"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.

"We made clear that: We would not select a rider ourselves, nor install, remove, or maintain the device. The UCI or its partner was free to select a rider and install the device at their own liability if they believe they are within their right to do so.

"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’t want to nominate a rider themselves is still unknown and unanswered. 

"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’s union) but have nevertheless decided to carry on and disqualify the teams with their riders.

"This action disregards the rights of teams and riders, applies the measure in a discriminatory manner, and contradicts the UCI’s own stated commitment to dialogue with stakeholders.

"We are always at the forefront to make cycling a safer sport, but it should be achieved through collaboration, not coercion."

Stream the cycling season live on TNT Sports and discovery+