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UCI to ban supertuck descending starting April 1st.

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This is Adriano Malori's comments about this. He posted them on Facebook and this is Facebook's translation into English from Italian. I'll post the English first, then Italian, then the link.


The day has come when UCI forbidden the famous ′′ squatted ′′ aerodynamics position on the handlebar, with the weight forward and the torso leaning on the handlebar.
This posture, assumed by most professionals, is aimed at buying speeds quickly downhill but at the same time exposes the cyclist at a very high risk for the total lack of control of the vehicle. In fact, when you choose to position yourself in that way you are unable to intervene in case of unexpected events.
I completely agree with UCI's position because it's a terrible example for young people, I explain:
It's obvious that Nibali, Froome, Sagan, etc... can get down to this position while staying safe enough, but a pupil (15-16 years) or a rookie (13-14 years) trying to imitate them?
I can tell you for a fact that I've heard of guys who, assuming this position, fell due to their inability to react.
When I was running I tried it myself and I can give you additional personal feedback on this posture, I wasn't using it because it caused me to overload my quads equal to a small sprint, so I thought it was counterproductive because when faced with a few km hour speed I had pain at the quads for the first few minutes he'd start riding again.
I also agree with Kwiatkowski's words on this issue, who said that ′′ UCI should look at other things before worrying about the position ". True, it would be a great world if cyclist safety were protected by starting upstream in the issues (we remember all the accidents of the year that have just ended, preventable with an extra eye on the organizations) but I find this a good start more than right.



È arrivato il giorno in cui l'UCI ha proibito la famosa posizione aerodinamica "accovacciati" sul manubrio, col peso in avanti e il busto appoggiato, per l'appunto, sul manubrio.
Questa postura, assunta dalla maggior parte dei professionisti, è volta ad acquistare velocità rapidamente in discesa ma, al contempo, espone il ciclista ad un rischio altissimo per la mancanza totale di controllo del mezzo. Di fatto, quando si sceglie di posizionarsi in quel modo si è impossibilitati ad intervenire in caso di imprevisto.
Io mi trovo in totale accordo con la presa di posizione dell'UCI perché è un pessimo esempio per i giovani, mi spiego:
È ovvio che Nibali, Froome, Sagan, ecc... riescano a scendere in questa posizione restando abbastanza sicuri, ma un allievo (15-16 anni) o un esordiente (13-14 anni) che prova ad imitarli?
Posso dirvi per certo che ho saputo di ragazzi che, assumendo questa posizione, sono caduti a causa dell'incapacità di reazione.
Io stesso quando correvo l'ho provata e vi posso dare un feedback personale aggiuntivo su questa postura, non la usavo perché mi provocava un sovraccarico ai quadricipiti pari ad un piccolo sprint, quindi la reputavo controproducente perché a fronte di qualche km orario di velocità avevo dolore ai quadricipiti per i primi minuti in cui riprendeva a pedalare.
Sulla questione mi sento in accordo anche con le parole di Kwiatkowski, il quale ha affermato che " l'UCI dovrebbe guardare altre cose, prima di preoccuparsi della posizione". Vero, sarebbe un mondo fantastico se la sicurezza dei ciclisti venisse tutelata partendo a monte nelle questioni (ricordiamo tutti gli incidenti dell'anno appena conclusosi, evitabili con un occhio di riguardo in più sulle organizzazioni) ma trovo questo provvedimento un buon inizio più che giusto.


 
A but simplistic from Kwiatkowski
"If they ban riding on the top tube now, then next year it will be putting your hands on the air to celebrate victory. They'll be bringing in speed limits and stuff like that. I think they should focus more on the organisational side of the races,"

Its about priorities. Where in the list of concerns on the sport was the supertuck? Makes me wonder if the UCI brings out stupid rules just to give the appearance they are doing something. As per the Kwiatkowski quote, ′′ UCI should look at other things before worrying about the position ". I agree 100% with Kwiatkowski . The supertuck is actually something that draws more fans. Its looks difficult and is another aspect of skill required in the sport.

How about the UCI tighten up the behavior of motos? This surely has greater potential for disaster. Either too many motos or position themselves too close to the riders. Even this morning I read that Filippo Ganna got an advantage by the draft of the TV moto in front of him. What training do moto riders receive about what is the minimum distance they should maintain in front of riders?
 
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I have to say that the riders who criticise the new rule because "there are more important things to address" run a fool's errand.

They need to say that this rule sucks, period.

Saying that there are more important things to look at indicates that this rule does have a sliver of merit, and then it will not be revoked which I honestly think there is a possibility for.

I swear I'm going to lose it if someone is removed from a big win because he some time during the race had been sitting on the top tube and the commissaires judge that that would merit a disqualification.

Also, Willie Smit nailed it with a tweet today, predicting that Caleb Ewan might as well stop his career because he basically sprints on the top tube. I guess Ewan has one chance for MSR now.
 
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I tend to think, it's more bout this:

1280916377.jpg.jpg


GettyImages-1280895064-920x613.jpg


And this:

2917767-59949308-2560-1440.jpg


:kissingheart:
The first photo looks like Julien passing on the outside and maybe impacting MVP. He did this alot on the Tour 2019, stage 18(?) descent after getting gapped on the climb, then catching the group following Quintana. He chopped several riders inside and outside while accomplishing nothing. #2 was Julian on the limit after taking a pull and not looking where he was going until too late. Note: never overlap to the side with no escape....#3 are the guys that don't ride beyond capability.
 
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Silly, pointless etc -- everything that everyone else on this thread has said. It's really cool to see a new tactic in the peloton and riders like Alaf who are hell bent for leather descenders have really used it to their advantage.

Now, if the UCI was really serious about safety, they'd ban water bottles. I'm sure GT would agree afte his Giro crash.
But think about it -- how many times have we seen loose bottles cause an accident? Plenty. And what about the ethics of "turbo bottles," let alone all the CO2 released when team cars are accelerating up and down the peloton to hand up bottles? And the PET pollution when they get tossed away.

I'm actually serious about bottles. I'd love to see the UCI mandate hydration bags like Camelbaks, with refills allowed in designated feed zones. On a really hot day you could bring back the old Coke sponsored motos and equip them with a water tank to spray down riders to cool them off...

...and while we're on unfair advantages, the UCI needs to look at riders like Hirschi (just as an example) who use computer mounts as impromptu aero bars.
Can't agree on the bottles but there is no reason to toss them until you're in a feed zone which would be allowable. If a domestique brings one to a rider they could place an open bed truck at the back of the peloton and they could discard there, too. Give the Chief Commissaire something to do....
If the UCI wanted to ban a potentially dangerous thing how about the Ghost Bar TT technique during sprint leadouts. Riders are yelling at those fools alot and I can't think of any rider I'd trust to follow at 60kph that doesn't have his hands on the bars in a pack.
The supertuck hasn't been proven to be a significant aero advantage, has it? Unless it has definitively and favors a type of rider it's not even a topic. I don't know how many guys have crashed doing it but I can't recall seeing it happen.
 
How about the UCI tighten up the behavior of motos? This surely has greater potential for disaster. Either too many motos or position themselves too close to the riders. Even this morning I read that Filippo Ganna got an advantage by the draft of the TV moto in front of him. What training do moto riders receive about what is the minimum distance they should maintain in front of riders?

Addressing those issues would need some effort and engagement from the UCI and that's not really Lappartient's style. He'd rather just put the blame on riders. Look at the bidon throwing rule. On the surface sensible and ecological. But the full blame is put on the riders. There are no rules regarding providing more discard areas.
 
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It's obvious that Nibali, Froome, Sagan, etc... can get down to this position while staying safe enough, but a pupil (15-16 years) or a rookie (13-14 years) trying to imitate them?
I can tell you for a fact that I've heard of guys who, assuming this position, fell due to their inability to react.

And that's what I don't get!
If that's the main concern; not wanting amateurs to copy, surely there are other ways to prevent that, than telling the pros - those guys who knows how to do it - that they're not allowed.
 
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so, Willie Smit nailed it with a tweet today, predicting that Caleb Ewan might as well stop his career because he basically sprints on the top tube. I guess Ewan has one chance for MSR now.
[/QUOTE]

so, we should see dropper posts on the PRO peloton starting very soon..
 

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