The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has criticised the usage of helicopters to switch riders from Friday’s Gran Sasso end to their accommodations, saying it “constitutes a bonus that goes in opposition to the rules of truthful play regulatory provisions for making certain equal therapy for switch of groups to their accommodations” and the UCI’s “precept of carbon footprint discount”
The UCI stated (opens in new tab) it “will take mandatory measures and sanctions to make sure that such a follow doesn’t happen sooner or later.” The governing physique didn’t specify what the measures and sanctions shall be.
Stage 7 of the Giro d’Italia completed at Gran Sasso d’Italia, excessive within the central Apennine mountains. Most riders took a cable automotive down from the 2130 metre excessive end to their crew buses for a protracted switch to their accommodations unfold throughout the Abruzzo area.
Nevertheless, Soudal-QuickStep confirmed on social media how crew chief Remco Evenepoel and a number of other teammates took a helicopter to their resort, reportedly arriving two hours sooner than if they’d used the cable automotive and crew bus.
Based on stories Bora-Hansgrohe and Bahrain Victorious additionally used a helicopter to go away the Gran Sasso end space. The three groups reportedly paid race organiser RCS Sport to make use of their helicopters for the flight.
Ineos Grenadiers riders had been seen utilizing the cable automotive with the general public, whereas Filippo Ganna travelled down the mountain in a crew automotive.
Some riders got here out to publicly criticise the supply of transport from the race end. Groupama-FDJ rider Ignatas Konovalovas tweeted (opens in new tab), “No no no, we might go along with vehicles or a motorbike down (~45min by automotive i might guess). The cable vehicles WERE NOT RESERVED for riders by group. Each crew that received there needed to struggle in opposition to others, specifically group or the cable automotive staff let’s say.”
He later added, “And that’s not the best way to deal and deal with riders after 6:30h stage +2 h drive to the following resort.”
Groups usually use helicopters for transfers from mountain finishes. The helicopters are sometimes these utilized by races for VIP flights and visitors or privately organized.
A fleet of helicopters on the Tour de France are used to permit VIP visitors to see the race from the sky. Nevertheless, the Tour de France has dissuaded groups from utilizing helicopter flights in recent times for truthful play causes.
The UCI stated utilizing helicopters “goes in opposition to the rules of truthful play and fairness, the elemental values of sport.”
