Rider airbags being considered as part of new safety measures from UCI

The UCI has released an update on its measures to improve safety in road races which revealed that the world governing body for cycling is looking into the idea of rider airbags.

It is still undecided on its stance regarding the use of race radios and regulations surrounding rim height and handlebar widths, as well as several other topics which made the headlines in recent months.

It was announced that a new yellow card system was being trialled in professional cycling in June last year, which also included changes to the three kilometre rule where riders impacted by crashes or mechanical issues in the closing moments of a stage race are given the same time as those around them at the time of the incident. The trial was also implemented during the Tour de France last year.

The UCI confirmed this week that the yellow card system would be permanently introduced in the 2025 season after the trial proved to be successful. According to them there were 31 cards issued during a 66 day trial period with 52% of them issued to riders. Bookings can now be given for a range of different offences, including “dangerous behaviour” from a lead-out rider during a sprint finish. The three kilometre ruling can also now be extended to a maximum of five kilometres as part of the new changes.

The update from the UCI also explained that it is still undecided on its stance regarding the use of in-race radios by riders, team staff and other members of race convoys. It stated that "the subject of communication during the race between all those in the race convoy will be part of an in-depth study to determine where improvements can be made to strengthen the monitoring of the race for the safety of riders and all involved".

The UCI also shared data from its race incident database which had been put together in collaboration with Ghent University in Belgium. The database work had been carried out as part of the wider ongoing SafeR project which is striving to improve race safety after a series of high-profile incidents in recent years. SafeR was launched after the tragic death of Gino Mäder at the 2023 Tour de Suisse.

According to the UCI, the database registered a total of 497 incidents during the 2024 road season. Unprovoked rider errors were said to be responsible for 35% of the incidents in question. On top of this the UCI claimed that road infrastructure, poor road surface conditions and the behaviour of in-race vehicles were responsible for 9%, 4% and 1% of the incidents included in the data respectively.

It is not yet known when the UCI will come to a conclusive and final decision regarding race radios, gear restrictions, rider airbags and other suggested safety improvements. Both Wout van Aert and Chris Froome both recently suggested that gear restrictions could potentially be a way forward to slow down riders at crucial points of races where crashes are a possibility.

UCI President David Lappartient reiterated that rider safety remains of crucial importance for the organisation.

He said: "The safety of riders is a priority, both for the UCI and for all those involved in men's and women's cycling. Launched in 2023, SafeR now has a solid structure and is progressing with rigor and professionalism towards the implementation of initiatives that will make road cycling safer for its key players, the riders.

"We are all united in the cause of safety and will continue to make progress in this direction in 2025 and beyond."