"Let the man race" - UCI-rule breaking bike sees Jan-Willem van Schip disqualified from Tour of Holland

It may be mid-October and the World Tour calendar may have already come to an end, but the cycling world does not stop and neither do the controversial situations. At the Tour of Holland, well known "giant" Jan-Willem van Schip, known for his extreme bike positions, has been disqualified from the race after riding stage 1 with a bike that quite literally broke the UCI rules.

Van Schip, a track specialist, has for many years raced on the road as well and due to his unusual height of 1.94 meters and his years spent on the track, he's always been an advocate of riding extremely narrow handlebars - whilst keeping them within UCI limits, even when extremely narrow handlebars were banned. Despite being a continental-level rider for the grand majority of his career, the Dutchman's silhouette in the peloton is one that is unmistakable.

He only began his season, on the road, in September this year, racing - and winning - a few criteriums whilst also taking part in a few Dutch races. He started the Tour of Holland for the Parkhotel Valkenburg team, racing to 72nd on the starting prologue, and finishing stage 1 where he also put in an attack on the flat roads, trying to take advantage of the weather conditions. However that attack brought some undesired attention.

Most would believe it were the handlebars that then were checked by UCI following the stage and led to the disqualification, but instead it was the seatpost of the bike. Has shown by Wielerflits' Julian Dubbeld, the seatpost features an unusual angle that puts van Schip's body closer to the handlebars, hence assisting him with his extremely aerodynamic position.

However, Parkhotel Valkenburg managher Paul Tabak talked to the Dutch news outlet in Dordrecht and said that "his seatpost allegedly does not meet UCI requirements, but he has been riding with one for several years and has documentation that it is permitted".

But more unusually is that the Dutchman wasn't disqualified by the race commissaires, but the call came from the UCI headquarters directly. "The UCI commissaires in the NIBC Tour of Holland did not disqualify Jan-Willem. They were overruled by Switzerland. The UCI said they had to disqualify Van Schip because he was riding with an illegal seatpost." This also isn't the first time this happens, although the handlebars had been the issue in the past. 

But the team is not settling with the incident and is going to protest the decision. "There's always trouble about Jan-Willem's handlebars. Every time, we show the approved documentation. Together with Jan-Willem and a juror, we've already written a letter about it to show what it's all about. Hopefully, that will now help to reverse the disqualification. Show the UCI that the regulations say this seatpost isn't allowed. The race jury told me they didn't disqualify Jan-Willem because he's been riding with it like this for several years."

“He’s been working hard to get back on track after being dropped from the national track program. He’s rediscovered his motivation and form. But now this happens again. Let the man race – and if it’s not allowed, show us in the rulebook where it says so.”