Bring Back Team Radios

The UCI’s ban on team radio has taken a lot criticism since it began earlier on in the year. There has already been a protest in the opening stage of the Challenge Mallorca.

Teams rode the stage with the banned radios, claiming the issue was to do with safety and not Directors trying to control the races, which the UCI has indicated. There have also been protests in Argentina and Italy, with teams complaining about the lack of input they had in the decision. There have been requests, made by the Cycling Professionals Association, for certain options to be considered. These have included only having one rider per team with access to a radio or limiting use to hazard warning.

I really don’t see the problem the UCI has with the team radio and the ban should be lifted immediately. Plenty of sports like Formula One have team radios and perhaps like them Pat McQuaid should consider broadcasting the radio transmissions. Who cares if Directors are trying to control the race? They can only control their team, and what is the problem with that? Cycling is a team sport and they should be able to work as a team.

Probably the most important factor with this ban is the safety issue with riders not being able to get information about approaching hazards. Riders who have had incidents can’t call their team if the suffer any problems and certainly can’t call back another rider to help them. You could have riders in crashes because a hazard hasn’t been given sufficient warning; and riders stuck at the back because the team can’t call someone back to help him.

Even in football, who don’t have radios, Managers are allowed to shout on instructions from the tactical area. The UCI should bring race radios back before the end of the year if they don’t want an almighty row with the riders.