Tour de France winner Chris Froome has called on the CPA riders association and the UCI to resolve the safety concerns over disc brakes in the peloton. Froome was speaking after his Team Sky teammate Owain Doull claimed that he was lucky to escape serious injury in a fall at the Abu Dhabi Tour. The Welshman believed that the disc rotor on Marcel Kittel’s Quick-Step Floors Specialized bike slashed open one of his shoes, and that the blade could have caused a serious injury.
"If a hot blade like that cuts an artery then a rider could be in big trouble," Froome told Cyclingnews. "I hope that we don't get to that point before we stop and take stock."
The CPA and the UCI are currently at loggerheads over the use of disc brakes, with the riders association last week calling for the current test – which involves mixed braking systems in the same peloton – to be immediately halted. A survey it conducted in November showed that 40 per cent of riders were against disc brakes, while another 42 per cent were unhappy until three conditions – rounded discs, protective covers and a homogenous peloton – are met.
The UCI, which re-started the trial this season with rounded discs the only modification, has staunchly refused the request to end the trial, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the CPA's survey and highlighting that the CPA agreed with the original decision to restart the trial.
"The issue over disc brakes is really down to what the CPA are doing and how they've not represented the peloton's views properly," Froome told Cyclingnews.
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Froome pointed to the timing of the CPA's actions, questioning why the union had taken until the winter before canvasing rider opinions on the subject, but he also questioned the UCI's role, believing that the sport's governing body should have met the riders' concerns over disc brake covers. At present, covers are not mandatory and the issue is only in a research and development phase.
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- Riders demand UCI ban disc brakes until complete peloton trial is held
- Doull claims Kittel's 'lethal' disc brake bike almost caused serious injury
- Wholesale use of disc brakes in pro peloton is inevitable, says Pozzato
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"All riders were given the opportunity to vote but only at the end of November once the CPA had already agreed to the trial going ahead on our behalf," Froome pointed out.
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