The UCI has moved to block pro riders from using motorhome’s similar to that used by Team Sky’s, Richie Porte during the Giro d’Italia this year. The rule is effective immediately meaning Chris Froome will be unable to use one during next month’s Tour de France.
The UCI Management Committee voted the amendment of article 2.2.010 of the UCI Regulations. The article now clarifies the requirement of rider accommodation during stage races: “In all road stage races on the international calendar, the organisers must cover the subsistence expenses of the teams from the night before the start to the final day; riders must stay in the hotels provided by the organiser throughout the entire duration of the race”. The decision was made in order to reaffirm absolute fairness between all riders. The amended article comes into force immediately.
Team Sky used the motorhome for Porte in this year’s Giro so that he had familiar surroundings to live and sleep in each night, instead of packing and unpacking each night and sleeping in different beds. “The quality of sleeping is massively important in terms of a component of recovery. In the Tour de France you finish a stage then you travel to a hotel then travel back to the stage start the next morning.” – Sir Dave Brailsford. Porte left the Giro early due to a crash.
Chris Froome tweeted his obvious displeasure with the decision, posting a picture on twitter of a mattress on the floor during last years Tour de France. Peter Kennaugh tweeted a similar message stating the UCI were “backwards, and stuck in the times”.
#FBF to that time I slept on the floor at the TDF.. More of that this year! Good going @UCI_cycling 👍 #progress 😏 pic.twitter.com/xAN1yaynbP
— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) June 19, 2015
So yeah the UCI remains backwards stuck in the times. Maybe the same person who banned overshoes on the track also made this decision.
— Peter kennaugh (@Petekennaugh) June 19, 2015
It will be interesting to see if there is similar reaction to Kennaugh and Froome, from other riders. Probably not.
Road Racing – The Bike Lane
Probably a good thing, imagine in a year or two when there could be 100 – 200 campers parked up outside the hotels, staff on the inside riders out in the carparks.