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FEATURES: UCI DUMBNESS: A DRAMA IN 5 ACTS
Tim Maloney
May 13, 2011
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When WorldTour teams prepare for a Grand Tour, they leave nothing to chance, especially making sure their time trial bikes conform to the myriad of ever changing UCI technical regulations that are often enforced arbitrarily depending on how the technical commissaries decide to interpret them on the day.
It seems that SRAM’s R2C aero-bar shift levers have run afoul of new UCI rules that were not strictly enforced until the Giro d'Italia's Stage 1 Team Time Trial. The "problem" is that the SRAM R2C aero-bar shift levers return to their original position after each shift in either direction and the UCI rules now count the lever as being an extension of the aero bar. UCI rule 1.3.023 says the aero bar extension can only extend a maximum horizontal distance forward of the bicycles bottom bracket.
When the Ag2r-LA Mondiale guys brought their TT bikes down to the bike check, they were shocked to discover the tech commissaries told them the extension (fitted with SRAM R2C aero-bar shift levers) were too long to race with.
With the clock ticking down to Ag2r-LA Mondiale start time, most of the bar extensions could be re-adjusted, but a few were just too long and had to be modified on the spot. It's a team mechanic's worst nightmare. SRAM tech service guys Jason (L) and Gaetan (R) were scrambling to try and adjust the aero-bar shift levers as Ag2r-LA Mondiale's concerned manager Vincent Lavenu looks on.
Ag2r-LA Mondiale mechanics Patrick and Yves check the measurements to see exactly how they have to adjust the aero-bars to pass tech inspection and make the race.
Lavenu (L) check the progress of the mechanics as diminutive team GC leader John Gadret impatiently waits with hand on hips for his bike to be be ready to ride for the Stage 1 warm-up.
Ag2r-LA Mondiale mechanic Patrick has to saw the aero-bar arms before the stage to shorten them 20mm to the required length.
Voila...Mission Accomplished: The quick adjustment was made in 20 minutes, Ag2r-LA Mondiale warmed up on the road and finished the Giro d'Italia's Stage 1 Team Time Trial a respectable 16th place ahead of bigger teams like Astana and Katusha. Here climber Gadret powers the Ag2r-LA Mondiale train home in Torino. Photo: Yuzuru Sunada
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