Disqualified teams respond to UCI: "The reason why they don’t want to nominate a rider themselves is still unknown and unanswered"

This happened while the opening time trial in Switzerland was still underway and after the UCI had already published a statement regarding the controversy that arose over the confirmation of GPS trackers. “The UCI regrets that certain teams have objected to the test by not designating a rider to carry the tracking device and have therefore decided to be excluded from the Tour de Romandie,” the UCI said.

The teams that refused the trackers are Canyon//Sram zondacrypto, EF Education-Oatly, Lidl-Trek, Picnic PostNL, and Visma | Lease a Bike. The five teams then issued the same statement, in which they presented their side of the story.

The teams begin with the following headline: "UCI fails to confirm rule clarification request despite teams tracking system co-operation." The teams concerned express their regret at their exclusion and elaborate on the situation.

"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 in their right to do so."

The controversy that has arisen is therefore not so much about whether the trackers should be confirmed, but about who installs the trackers on the bikes. “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," said the teams involved.

"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."

The statement concludes as follows: "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."