Following the string of collisions between riders and vehicles from the convoy that accompanies races, the Union Cycliste International (UCI) published a 38-page document full of guidelines it will now expect drivers to follow, along with sanctions under existing regulations for those who do not.
The measures follow the shocking on-camera collisions between a car at the 2011 Tour de France and Johnny Hoogerland and Juan Antonio Flecha, Jesse Sergent and a neutral support car in the Tour of Flanders in 2015, Greg Van Avermaet in San Sebastian, and a medical motorbike and Stig Broeckx in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne in 2016.
Others accidents not televised include a separate incident with a motorcycle in the Baloise Belgium Tour that left Broeckx with a severe traumatic brain injury, and the fatal incident in Gent-Wevelgem between a motorbike and Antoine Demoitie.
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The UCI's rules apply to vehicles between the lead commissaire's car and the broom wagon and relate to race preparation, traffic in the race, special measures for motorbikes, what to do in the case of a crash and time trials.
The guidelines also call for drivers to take personal responsibility to be sufficiently rested, abstain from using mobile phones while driving, having a "considerate, prudent attitude rather than overconfidence", and be prepared to avoid risks "even if pressured by an insistent passenger".
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The UCI stated that the new document has the support of the Security and Technical Regulations working group, which is made up representatives from the UCI, CPA, AIGCP and the AIOCC, (federation, riders, teams and organisers).
- Sport Directors are no longer allowed to talk to their riders in the last 5 km of events.
- Drivers cannot use mobile phones while driving, not even with headsets.
- No TV screens in the front seat of team cars.
- Drivers must have 0% blood alcohol levels at all times, and no opiod drug usage.
- Motorcycles carrying guests are not allowed in the race convoy.
- A maximum of five motorcycles carry out yellow flag (marshall) duties.
- Vehicles preceding the race shall accelerate in the final kilometre in order to cross the finish line and pass the photographers' area at least 15 seconds before the first rider, to avoid appearing in the view of the fixed cameras and marring the shots of the photographers.
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