Tour de Romandía: The UCI will implement a GPS system to improve safety in cycling
The Tour de Romandía, in Switzerland, will serve as a test bed for the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)’s GPS safety tracking system. This technology will be implemented in the Women’s WorldTour stage race, which will take place from August 15 to 17. The main objective of this initiative is to improve the UCI’s safety tracking software. In addition, it seeks to establish protocols to provide real-time data to race control, medical teams, and UCI commissioners. This system will strengthen the supervision of cyclist safety during competitions. The UCI announced that this system will allow a faster response in case of incidents. In recent years, several incidents at UCI events have had fatal consequences. An example is the case of cyclist Muriel Furrer, who suffered a head injury after a descent in a women’s junior race in Zurich. The lack of witnesses and the time elapsed before receiving medical attention generated criticism.The ICU received strong criticism following Furrer’s death, questioning the absence of race radios and other safety equipment. Recently, another young cyclist, Samuele Privitera, died after an accident in the Tour de France. Although the emergency services acted quickly, they could not save his life. In June, the UCI announced regulatory changes as part of its comprehensive safety initiative. This initiative was developed with the recommendations of SafeR and after consulting with cyclists, teams, and organizers. The goal is to address safety concerns arising from technological advances and increased speed in races. In addition to changes in helmets and handlebars, one cyclist per team will be allowed to carry a GPS tracking device. This technology will also be implemented at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, where all cyclists will carry the device.“It seems the young woman had to wait an hour to receive medical attention. I think it’s a disgrace and something that should never happen,” declared Spanish cyclist Juan Ayuso.
Juan Ayuso
