Strange new UCI rule described as "hugely discriminatory" towards women
CyclingMonday, 16 June 2025 at 09:00
The UCI committee met past week to discuss changes, proposals and new rules for the 2026 season. While some positive news like promotion of the Women's version of Dwars door Vlaanderen to WorldTour (previously 1.Pro) and increase of funds were confirmed, one new rule has caused quite a commotion in the cycling echelons.
According to the information provided, UCI will now enforce a mandatory minimum width of handlebars in road races and cyclo-crosses. There is nothing said about this new rule extending only to men, which means women will need to gear up too. And that is a controversial, if not discriminating rule to the ladies.
Measured from the two outermost points, handlebars must be at least 40 centimetres wide from 1 January 2026, with a minimum internal width of 32 centimetres from brake lever to brake lever. In the women's peloton, this could cause difficulties: due to the body shape of women, they often use narrower handlebars.
Karl Lima, team manager at the Norwegian Continental formation Coop - Repsol, immediately shared his disconcern about the news that would negatively impact the riders of his team. "All of our thirteen riders race with handlebars that are narrower than 40 centimeters," he wrote on X.
Niamh Fisher-Black demonstrated absurdity of this ruling on her social media. The New Zealand pocket climber from Lidl-Trek shared a photo on Instagram: with a measuring tape she shows that she is barely thirty centimetres from shoulder to shoulder. The change would force the older sister of male pro Finn Fisher-Black to ride in a highly uncomfortable position.
Under the new UCI regulation, Fisher-Black would in future have to race with handlebars that are at least four inches wider than the natural position of her shoulders and arms. An anonymous source described the regulation to Bikeradar as "hugely discriminatory against women and smaller men". Cervélo, bike provider of Visma | Lease a Bike informs that 14/18 women on the Dutch team will have to change their handlebars.
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- What a really dumb question, 8 days before the TDF. Did he think XDS Astana team would be only 3 riders. Really have to wonder about some people.
Senna196027-06-2025 - Please give feedback if you do, Not sure what they’re officially called as I’ve never been to one but to anyone who’s been to any of these specialist bike posture outfits that claim to optimise your position and bike for you, did any of them do any testing with varying crank lengths? Never heard any such feedback from people I listened to.Mistermaumau26-06-2025
- Your answer wasn’t stupid, it was just unnecessarily vulgar that’s all, especially given that in an article practically devoid of text it said starting list 3 times with your preliminary almost hidden in a long list of repeated names not many would bother to look at. Hope you pay as much attention to the small print of your insurance policy and the like, they may not be as vulgar in answering but, well, one day you’ll remember this ;-)Mistermaumau26-06-2025
- As I proposed, Remco to wreak havoc before the mountain stages where Jonas foes hos job, forcing Pog to compete during the whole 3 weeks and maybe crack again. A bit like when the DV brothers ganged up against Merckx.Mistermaumau26-06-2025
- Seems like musical chairs, doubt any of them will perform better wherever they change to.Mistermaumau26-06-2025
- « also due to being the son of a former World Tour rider by the same name«Mistermaumau26-06-2025
- I'm exploring shorter cranks even in MTB because of limited hip mobility due to how my hips are. I haven't ridden them yet, but my experience with 170 over 175 is that 170 is a lot more comfortable in a low position. I bet that going even shorter is going to be really beneficial for me.JoshuaCharter26-06-2025
- According to Eurosport Italy Visma will be getting €50 million from Nike lol! Fred Wright to Q36.5?Suipedali26-06-2025
- Funny side that his namesake is fellow Spanish gregario Benjamin Noval somewhat a domestique for Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador days.
James2631826-06-2025 - The title is wrong and caused me to be confused momentarily. It shouldn't be "Movistar compares...". It should be "Marc Soler compares...".
KerisVroom26-06-2025
You’re expecting OneCycling to be MORE respectful for women??? You do know who’s financing don’t you? If you want the sport to become elitist, expensive and manipulated, by all means, jump out of the frying pan into the fire.
I said, "such as," as in a group—any group—with enough budget to be real, and obviously one with better moral high ground than UCI, who is patently obvious in their pursuit of exacting maximum profit for themselves regardless of how it effects the riders. Sub in any other consortium you like.