The UCI has confirmed the use of a GPS tracking system to enhance rider safety at the Road World Championships, which begin this Sunday 21 September in Kigali, Rwanda.
The UCI, cycling’s governing body, announced rider trackers would be used at the World Championships back in August – but the introduction of the tech led to disputes with pro riders and their teams.
As part of the UCI’s SafeR initiative, which is intended to enhance rider safety in professional road cycling, the use of GPS trackers was trialled at the Tour de Romandie Féminin in August.
However, several teams raised concerns with the UCI about the “imposition” of GPS tracking devices on one member of each team.
EF Education–Oatley said the team would “not select a rider ourselves, nor install, remove or maintain the device".
They added that the UCI chose to impose this measure “without clear consent” and that it is unclear why the UCI did not want to nominate riders to trial the GPS trackers.
Five teams refused to nominate a rider, and therefore, the UCI disqualified them, leaving only 63 riders in the race. The UCI said their decision was “deplorable” and undermined “the cycling family’s efforts to ensure the safety of all riders”.
But despite the objections at the Tour de Romandie Féminin, the UCI now says all riders in all categories (the elite men and women, plus under-23s and juniors) will be equipped with a GPS safety tracker attached under their saddles. This will be across the road races, and individual and team time trials.
The system will be operated from the UCI’s control centre and will enable real-time monitoring of rider position. This will allow for the identification of any unusual situations, such as a rider suddenly stopping on the course.
“In such a case, the rider's exact position will be transmitted to the relevant parties in the convoy – organisers, UCI Commissaires, medical and security services – so that appropriate measures can be taken without delay,” the UCI said in a press release.
The decision to use GPS trackers comes after 18-year-old Muriel Furrer died following a crash in the junior World Championship race last year in Zurich, Switzerland. Furrer reportedly lay alone for almost an hour and a half with a serious head injury.
Race radios are not allowed during the World Championships.
The 2025 Road World Championships will take place between 21–28 September.
