UCI moves closer to mandatory rider tracking as safety plans enter regulatory phase
CyclingMonday, 07 September 2026 at 09:00
The UCI is taking another step towards introducing real-time tracking of riders and race vehicles at professional road races, with the governing body now preparing the protocols and regulatory framework that would govern the technology.
The issue was a major focus of the Professional Cycling Council's (PCC) meeting in Aigle on September 1 and 2, coming at a particularly sensitive time for rider safety. The meeting opened with a tribute to 19-year-old British rider Finlay Tarling, who died after a collision with a van during the Volta a Portugal on August 14.
Following the tribute, the PCC discussed the need for a dedicated system capable of showing the real-time location of riders and race vehicles during professional road events. The UCI says implementation should initially focus on the men's and women's WorldTour, although it has not yet announced a timetable for when the system could become compulsory.
The latest development represents a significant step forward from the UCI's earlier discussions about GPS-based safety tracking. Rather than simply encouraging the use of existing technology, the governing body is now preparing the rules that would determine how such systems should operate across professional racing.
David Lappartient is UCI's president
The UCI wants a common framework
The move follows a March initiative from UCI president David Lappartient, who asked the teams' association AIGCP, race organisers' association AIOCC and riders' union CPA to work together on proposals for GPS-based safety tracking.
At the time, Lappartient made clear that the long-term objective was mandatory implementation. “It will need to become mandatory and phased in across event classes,” he wrote in a letter dated March 13.
The stakeholders were subsequently asked to provide proposals covering the hardware, software and operational requirements of a potential system. However, the UCI says no joint proposal from the three stakeholder groups was available when the PCC met in Aigle.
Importantly, the governing body has previously indicated that it does not intend to dictate which company supplies the technology. Teams, organisers and riders would instead be able to choose their own providers, provided those systems comply with the technical framework established by the UCI.
Safety concerns are now driving the push
The development of a UCI-wide framework comes amid a broader debate over exactly how rider tracking should work and who should control the resulting data.
Previous trials have exposed some of those tensions. A UCI tracking test at the 2025 Tour de Romandie Féminin led to disagreements with several teams over the conditions under which the technology was being tested.
The UCI now wants to move beyond those disputes and establish common rules. Lappartient reiterated following the PCC meeting that stakeholders need to cooperate on rider safety and that commercial considerations should not come before protecting riders.
Real-time positioning could potentially give race officials and emergency services a clearer picture of where riders are located following a crash, while also helping identify the position of race vehicles and other elements of a race convoy. The ultimate objective is to reduce the time between an incident occurring and assistance reaching those involved.
The tracking initiative is being developed alongside another UCI safety measure. The PCC has backed new standards for barriers used during the final hundreds of metres of races, with the proposed requirements subject to approval by the UCI Management Committee.
If approved, the barrier rules would be introduced progressively from the 2027 season, initially covering WorldTour and Women's WorldTour events before being extended to other categories.
Both initiatives will now move to the next stage when the UCI Management Committee meets in Montréal from September 20 to 22. The meeting will therefore be an important moment for determining how the governing body's plans for rider tracking and race safety develop from proposals into enforceable regulations.
Félix SernaCycling Journalist
Félix Serna is a writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2025. He covers professional cycling across both the men’s and women’s calendars, with a focus on UCI rankings, race developments, and rider performance. His work includes interview-based reports, liveblogs, and tournament coverage designed to provide clear, accurate context throughout the season.
In his reporting, Félix regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical reference. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies.
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- If security and health were a problem, then yesterday should have been canceled altogether. It was 36° in Villaviciosa yesterday but 41° in Córdoba city where the race finished. As I stated where most of the race took place was on long narrow country roads with deep ditches and slopes on either side. No where to park a car or stand safely and watch. As for living somewhere else?To have cycling on my doorstep? Thank you. I also have a chalet in Alpe d'Huez, which I use in the winter mainly for skiing. But was extremely fortunate to watch Tadej Pogaćar's record breaking ascent on July 24th.RolandDekker07-09-2026
- Correction: 63000 swiss = $77,891 or 67.035 euros.PogiSloFans07-09-2026
- Janja Garnbret a year ago about Pogačar: "Tadej is considered the best cyclist in the world because of his rare combination of unmatched physical endurance, explosive power, and an all-around racing style that lets him win almost any type of event. He also has exceptional tactical intelligence and racecraft. A few months ago he said to me: In my view, cycling intelligence is simple... keep control, play smart, avoid overthinking, and ensure you have the best legs on the day."PogiSloFans07-09-2026
- Seixas, instead of doing the tdf and riding round, should've done this and he'd have won it
leedorney07-09-2026 - Haven’t seen many crowds lately and sorry but temperatures are certainly above average with 45.7 yesterday. Every degree starts to count above 36, 37 and each is a lot worse than the previous one. Security and health should definitely trump fans, especially for a free event. Should consider moving to a different part of the world if you live for cycling coming to your doorstep.Jumpyjohn06-09-2026
- Didn’t want but did and the opposite in the Vuelta, someone might have to start reviewing strategies.Jumpyjohn06-09-2026
- Hopefully with these kind of experiences, more people will start to think a bit deeper about all the exploited that have to work all day almost day in worse heat with no-one to feed or hydrate them. The deaths in the name of being on time for hosting mega sport events didn’t register on people’s consciousness very long, if at all. Is it a coincidence there’s quite a few connections between some of the sponsors in cycling and those events. Makes you wonder how much they’d be willing to pay to start a summer cycling league for has been cyclists, or is that only interesting with football?Jumpyjohn06-09-2026
- There is no right or wrong. Different strokes. He at least knows it because he allows eaxh to answer for themselves, is that what cycling wants? Obviously quite a few do because that’s how it is. Now, I’m not saying he doesn’t have a point but if you’re going to go down a path like that then how far are you willing to go? Will you also reconsider the financial inequalities and other problems precarious teams have to deal with, or the pressures they are under to survive, something none of the top tier teams really have to think about when planning a season?Jumpyjohn06-09-2026
- The number of participants is limited anyway. Before asking others to join the big races he should also be explaining who they should then be replacing who are taking part.Jumpyjohn06-09-2026
- An absolutely perfectly played out win by van Aert. The rest couldn’t attack him in any successful way and he was just that much stronger. It’s nice to see him back after that terrible 2024 crash. As fun as ever to watchRidesHills06-09-2026
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