The UCI tightens security in 2027 and changes the date of the Women's Tour

Safety is once again at the center of the UCI's agenda. The international body has approved a new package of measures that will begin to transform professional races starting in 2027, with two particularly visible changes, such as the new mandatory standards for barriers in the last 200 meters and the intention to extend GPS tracking of cyclists and vehicles.

New safety measures approved by the UCI for 2027

The decisions were made during the Steering Committee meeting held from September 20 to 22 in Montreal, coinciding with the Road World Championships. Alongside these, the UCI has presented the first results of its study on falls in competition and announced a new way of working with manufacturers when developing standards that affect equipment.

The UCI approves new mandatory barriers in the last 200 meters

One of the changes that already has a start date directly affects finishes. From the 2027 season, UCI WorldTour and UCI Women's WorldTour events will have to use barriers that meet new safety standards in the last 200 meters.

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The specifications come from a study conducted by the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland Valais-Wallis. The UCI will make the protocol available to manufacturers so they can develop or adapt their systems to the new requirements.

This change is particularly relevant for mass finishes, where the combination of high speeds, limited space, and proximity of the public makes barriers a critical element. The new regulation aims to move away from a situation where very different solutions could coexist to establish a specific standard in the most delicate area of a finish.

The UCI wants to extend GPS to all professional races

The second major measure does not yet have a fixed date, but the UCI considers it urgent. The goal is to deploy GPS tracking systems that allow real-time knowledge of the position of riders and vehicles during professional road races.

The first phase will focus on the men's and women's WorldTour, although the announced intention is to extend the system to all professional events. Technical protocols, regulatory framework, and implementation schedule still need to be defined.

We are not starting completely from scratch. The UCI used a safety GPS tracking system in all categories of the World Championships in Kigali 2025 and is using it again during the World Championships in Montreal 2026. Furthermore, it confirms that it will continue to use it in future editions of the World Championships.

Beyond providing the position of the peloton, the interest from a safety perspective is precisely in being able to quickly locate cyclists and vehicles, information that is especially important when a race is fragmented into numerous groups or an accident occurs.

The first data on falls reveal significant differences between men and women

The new measures arrive as the UCI continues to gather information to better understand how and with what consequences accidents occur.

Since March 2026, a specific study has been underway in WorldTour and Women's WorldTour events. After five months of monitoring, the first results indicate that injuries are, in general terms, more frequent and severe among female riders than among male riders. Additionally, the average time needed to return to competition is approximately double for women.

The study is still open, so these are still preliminary results. The UCI's intention is to build a reference database that will allow not only deciding which preventive measures to adopt but also checking later whether they actually reduce risk.

Manufacturers will have more voice in future standards for bicycles and equipment

Safety also lies behind another important change, this time related to equipment. The UCI acknowledges that the speed at which the industry evolves requires establishing a more direct relationship with those who develop bicycles and components.

To this end, specialized Technical Committees will be created, with groups dedicated to specific issues such as clothing, protective equipment, wheels and tires, or frames. These will include the UCI itself, manufacturers, and independent experts, with a balanced representation between the international body and the industry.

These committees will not have the final word. Their conclusions will serve the Equipment and New Technologies Commission to develop recommendations, while the final decision will continue to depend on the UCI Steering Committee.

After a first pilot phase dedicated to track, gravel, and wheels, the new consultation model will be fully deployed starting in February 2027.

In parallel, the UCI will review the Lugano Charter, approved in 1996 and still fundamental for establishing the principles by which the technological evolution of cycling is regulated. There will be a consultation with the various stakeholders in the sport and manufacturers between February and April 2027 before presenting the new version that same year.

More changes approved by the UCI for 2027

The Montreal meeting has left many more news besides those directly related to safety. Starting in 2027, road teams will be able to earn points for the UCI ranking through the results of their cyclists in major events of mountain bike, cyclocross, and track, in addition to the gravel World Championships.

The new UCI Junior Road Nations Cup has also been finalized, which will feature eleven events between February and July 2027 and a grand final in Varese, Italy, between July 29 and August 1. There will be men's and women's competitions and a system of continental and national rankings.

National team sports directors will also have to obtain a new certification through an online course before the 2027 World Championships in Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc. In 2028, the obligation will extend to the directors of men's and women's continental teams.

Among the Committee's decisions is also the development of regulations on genetic testing for the female category in events recognized by the IOC, in preparation for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. The principles have been validated, but the final regulation will still need to be approved before the end of 2026. The proposal includes a single test during each athlete's race and establishes that their results will be confidential.

As for the calendar, the Vuelta España Femenina will move to October 3-10, 2027, immediately after the men's event. The Vuelta a Burgos Femeninas will take the May slot, from the 6th to the 10th, while Eschborn-Frankfurt will regain its traditional date of May 1.

Overall, the block of decisions from Montreal makes clear one of the UCI's priorities for the coming years: to reduce risk in races by relying on both physical changes, such as the new barriers, and on technology and data, with GPS tracking and systematic study of falls as the main tools.