DAN MARTIN
ISRAEL START-UP NATION
My first event, the Vuelta Valenciana, was postponed, which was a shame because I wanted to have some racing to write about. But this is cycling and there’s always something going on. The hot topic that I’m sure will be debated for weeks or months to come is the new rules from the UCI, designed to improve safety. The banning of the ‘supertuck’ descending and forearms-onhandlebars positions are the two most discussed and controversial. (Although I do think everybody has overlooked the rules on littering, that will affect us most).
You may have seen that I put out a reaction on social media that was understood to be supporting the UCI’s decision, as I applauded them for being proactive. However, I was not supporting the decision. I was appreciative of the UCI actually doing something. Much of the debate has been centred around the safety of the positions and the fact that as pro riders we have the skill set to safely utilise the techniques, but this is ignoring the bigger picture. I have heard countless stories of amateurs and kids crashing while attempting to replicate what they see on TV. Even the pros have got it wrong. Mistakes can happen at any point and crashes are inevitable, but rules are designed to protect the majority from the minority. By this I mean there was an ever increasing number of riders in the peloton using both positions at inappropriate times. The majority understand that there is a time and a place to use each, but it’s riders taking liberties with the allowed freedom that has led to this ban. I’m sure that if we took away speed limits, or taped up the speedometer on a car, the majority would not drive much over the limit. The rules are there to prevent the minority who would scream down the motorway at 100mph endangering the majority. This is similar.
We are billboards for our sponsors and regarded for our image and how we conduct ourselves. It’s not all about the results and it is simply not possible to enforce rules in the lower levels of the sport while the top ranks race on unaffected. Cyclists are typically against change and the insular nature of the sport leads riders to only consider how rules affect them. Remember the friction caused when professionals were forced to race in helmets? This is a bandwagon that many jumped on without understanding the background and reasoning, but it demonstrates an underlying current within the sport and it’s pleasing to hear so many riders being outspoken about the need for safety measures. Recognising the problem is an important step, but it remains to be seen if any real change will happen.