Race Radio ban

[ray j willings]

Do you think Cookson will back down before the season gets under way or at least for the classics and big 3 GT races?

Safety is really the main concern IMO

 

[Netserk]

Safety is a non-issue. It's easy to find an alternative that will fix that. It's only about team/DS control.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Safety is a non-issue. It's easy to find an alternative that will fix that. It's only about team/DS control.

How will they communicate dangerous race situations?

 

[DFA123]

I hope it stands, it has to really. Races just too predictable at the moment - and that's not good for Cookson or the UCI.

 

[DFA123]

How will they communicate dangerous race situations?

Motorbike - like they always have done in the past.

 

[Granville57]

How will they communicate dangerous race situations?

It had proposed in the past that riders have radios only to receive warnings from the race director, with no direct back-and-forth communications between riders and their DS. That would seem to be a very fair compromise for all parities.

Either way, JV seems quite confident that the ban won't take effect.

@vaughters
want to place a friendly wager on this? No way they are banned in 2015. Watch.
https://twitter.com/Vaughters/status/549224263777918976

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Team radios causes many safety issues.

When DSs tells all riders to get to the front in crunch situations many crashes happens.

I would argue remove the radios will increase the safety for the riders.

Anyway its the race marshals jobs to indicate problems along the route and we need riders to keep focus on that rather than listening to the DS in a car.

 

[cyclingPRpro]

Sigh

It's pretty obvious you guys are only looking at this from a fan perspective and have never worked in the sport at the pro level.

Radios are needed for many reasons. Rider safety, logistics (feeding - flats - mechanicals - injury/illness) and yes tactics. But if we all have radios and use them it's a level playing field.

 

[jens_attacks]

it's the peloton who should decide on this not uci

i don't care about masters or juniors or u23 or whatever, the real pros should decide if they want to wear helmets or not, radios or not, antidoping tests and so on. not the fans or uci

 

[classicomano]

it's the peloton who should decide on this not uci

i don't care about masters or juniors or u23 or whatever, the real pros should decide if they want to wear helmets or not, radios or not, antidoping tests and so on. not the fans or uci

lol
lol
lol

 

[LaFlorecita]

it's the peloton who should decide on this not uci

i don't care about masters or juniors or u23 or whatever, the real pros should decide if they want to wear helmets or not, radios or not, antidoping tests and so on. not the fans or uci

I agree pretty much.

 

[Granville57]

It's pretty obvious you guys are only looking at this from a fan perspective and have never worked in the sport at the pro level.

Radios are needed for many reasons. Rider safety, logistics (feeding - flats - mechanicals - injury/illness) and yes tactics. But if we all have radios and use them it's a level playing field.

Well, no one is suggesting that some teams should have them and some shouldn't, so I have no idea why you're bringing up the "level playing field" argument.

As to the rest:
How did pro cycling ever get along without race radios prior to the '90s?

Was it nothing but carnage, chaos and catastrophe?

 

[Granville57]

it's the peloton who should decide on this not uci

the real pros should decide if they want to wear helmets or not, radios or not, antidoping tests and so on. not the fans or uci

You forgot one of these:

 

[cyclingPRpro]

Well, no one is suggesting that some teams should have them and some shouldn't, so I have no idea why you're bringing up the "level playing field" argument.

As to the rest:
How did pro cycling ever get along without race radios prior to the '90s?

Was it nothing but carnage, chaos and catastrophe?

Really? Fine... ban all carbon, all new fabrics and use only water.

As technology advances so should the sport.

 

[Granville57]

Really? Fine... ban all carbon, all new fabrics and use only water.

As technology advances so should the sport.

So you're not interested in answering my question, but rather offering strawmen and moving the goal posts?


OK, I'll play along.

How have carbon fiber, lycra and sports drinks improved the sport?

Seriously. Is it more exciting, more engaging, less predictable or otherwise more interesting and/or entertaining as a result of these advances?

 

[cineteq]

Race Radio should stay (safety). Now, Team Radios must go. Big difference.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

It's pretty obvious you guys are only looking at this from a fan perspective and have never worked in the sport at the pro level.

Radios are needed for many reasons. Rider safety, logistics (feeding - flats - mechanicals - injury/illness) and yes tactics. But if we all have radios and use them it's a level playing field.

We are fans. Of course we look at racing from the perspective of fans. And there are only two arguments that cut any ice with fans: (1) entertainment, (2) safety. Why would we care how radios impact on logistics for teams? That's completely irrelevant to any fan. And the tactical benefit for teams is precisely what fans don't want teams to have - an improved ability to keep the racing orderly and controlled. Order and control are great for team managers, bureaucrats and the dimmer riders, but they are inversely correlated with entertainment.

The only pro radio argument any fan will pay the slightest heed to is safety. And that can be addressed by allowing neutral race radio but not team radio.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

How will they communicate dangerous race situations?

Through neutral race radio obviously.

This has been discussed so many times before, and that's the only correct answer.

 

[pastronef]

We are fans. Of course we look at racing from the perspective of fans. And there are only two arguments that cut any ice with fans: (1) entertainment, (2) safety. Why would we care how radios impact on logistics for teams? That's completely irrelevant to any fan. And the tactical benefit for teams is precisely what fans don't want teams to have - an improved ability to keep the racing orderly and controlled. Order and control are great for team managers, bureaucrats and the dimmer riders, but they are inversely correlated with entertainment.

The only pro radio argument any fan will pay the slightest heed to is safety. And that can be addressed by allowing neutral race radio but not team radio.

I guess that will stay as always.

ps. about entertainment: your favourire rider is chasing a breakaway with a teammate in it. they have 30 seconds time gap. he crashes or has a flat. team car without team radio can't stop the teammate up front to wait for your favourite rider. he loses the race or time in GC.

grrrrrr

 

[Netserk]

I guess that will stay as always.

ps. about entertainment: your favourire rider is chasing a breakaway with a teammate in it. they have 30 seconds time gap. he crashes or has a flat. team car without team radio can't stop the teammate up front to wait for your favourite rider. he loses the race or time in GC.

grrrrrr

Race radio will still mention when important riders punctures etc....

We're not talking a ban of all info. We're talking a ban of communication from the DSs to the riders (through radio).

 

[pastronef]

Race radio will still mention when important riders punctures etc....

We're not talking a ban of all info. We're talking a ban of communication from the DSs to the riders (through radio).

yes, so if the breakaway has team cars, the ds can stop the team mate.
if there's no team car, they will be going on, and the captain who punctured or crashed will not catch them.

I must agree the lack of info a communication could lead to more unpredictable races. but if I root for a rider and because of the lack of info he loses a good chance to win, I'd be bummed.

 

[Netserk]

yes, so if the breakaway has team cars, the ds can stop the team mate.
if there's no team car, they will be going on, and the captain who punctured or crashed will not catch them.

Or the rider in the break will think for himself and realize that when he hears from the race radio that his captain has punctured just behind him, he will have to stop to help him.

But that will require riders to be able to think.

 

[pastronef]

Or the rider in the break will think for himself and realize that when he hears from the race radio that his captain has punctured just behind him, he will have to stop to help him.

But that will require riders to be able to think.

so he HAS a radio to listen just to race radio and not to his team car?

 

[LaFlorecita]

yes, so if the breakaway has team cars, the ds can stop the team mate.
if there's no team car, they will be going on, and the captain who punctured or crashed will not catch them.

I must agree the lack of info a communication could lead to more unpredictable races. but if I root for a rider and because of the lack of info he loses a good chance to win, I'd be bummed.

I agree pastro. I guess the races would be more unpredictable but not in a good way. But hopefully Vaughters is right and radios will still be allowed in 2015.

I think we've seen plenty of good racing with radios. I am with you pastro, I wouldn't want to see one of my favorites lose out because he couldn't communicate with teammates.

 

[Netserk]

so he HAS a radio to listen just to race radio and not to his team car?

You bolded that yourself in the quote in your very first post.