The UCI is undecided on what safety measures to implement, but the airbag could be one

The UCI, hand in hand with the SafeR organization, continues to work to improve safety in cycling races for the upcoming season as inferred from a statement issued by the highest cycling authority. However, at the moment, there are several ideas on how to address this issue and few concrete proposals.

The UCI and SafeR are still considering different options to improve cyclist safety

The various bodies that make up SafeR, the organization created to improve safety in cycling competitions, continue to work to find the best solutions to achieve this goal. These bodies include key figures in cycling, from the directors of the three Grand Tours: Javier Guillén, Christian Prudhomme, and Mauro Vegni, representatives of the teams, the UCI itself, as well as the riders, led by the controversial Adam Hansen.

Their work has been essential in analyzing the data collected throughout 2024 when SafeR was created. This data indicates that in the last season, there were 497 incidents recorded in races among both male and female World Tour events as well as the Pro Series for both genders. Of these incidents, 35% are attributed to causes unrelated to the cyclists, such as approaching difficult points, dangerous race conditions like wet or slippery roads, or poor road conditions.

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This data compilation has helped identify patterns in falls and dangerous factors such as the placement of the public or improperly parked vehicles. For 2025, the goal is to expand the database by tracking the yellow card system, which the UCI intends to establish definitively after tests conducted in races at the end of the season that resulted in 31 of these cards being issued.

It also seems that the variable protection zone between 3 and 5 kilometers has come to stay, aiming to reduce tension in sprint stage finishes in the preparation for the arrival and to provide extra protection in response to the increasing complications of arrivals in cities with more obstacles like speed bumps, speed reducers, narrowing, etc.

Protection measures in sprint stages are complemented by the new calculation of time differences between groups, where at least 3 seconds must pass for a time difference to be determined between two groups. With less than that difference, both groups will be awarded the same time.

Sprints have been one of the main focuses for SafeR, and after gathering cyclists' opinions, this organization has found common demands such as requesting maximum consistency in applying sanctions for dangerous behaviors, as well as concerns about the design of arrivals: placement of barriers, location of vehicle exits, avoiding curves in the final part, etc.

Regarding barriers, SafeR is entering a second phase where they aim to define a homologation that barriers used in the last 500 meters of stages must meet, specifying dimensions, mechanical characteristics, fixing systems for both the barrier and advertising, and impact tests they must pass, with results expected in the next 6 months.

In a subsequent phase, these homologations could be extended to other protective elements used throughout the route, as well as to signage, in addition to creating software to evaluate routes to facilitate choosing the best route for races.

SafeR is also considering some of the ideas that have been proposed in recent months regarding cyclists' equipment and materials. Measures such as reducing bike gearing, establishing a maximum rim profile, regulating handlebar width to avoid instability from ultra-narrow models used by some cyclists, and even introducing airbags in cyclists' equipment.

However, these aspects are still ideas that SafeR will have to carefully consider before deciding whether to implement them and how to do so.

UCI President David Lappartient's words leave no doubt about the cycling authority's commitment to addressing safety issues: "The tests carried out to evaluate the different measures developed by SafeR demonstrate not only the obvious need to develop our rules and protocols but also our excellent collaboration with organizers, teams, and riders. We are all united in the cause of safety and will continue to move in this direction in 2025 and beyond."