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News & Racing<\/a><\/p>\n A GPS tracker fight that\u2019s about far more than safety.<\/p>\n The Tour de Romandie F\u00e9minin began on Friday with an uphill time trial, a ceremonial start line in Hu\u00e9moz, and a GC already in tatters. Canyon\u2013SRAM zondacrypto, EF Education\u2013Oatly, Lidl\u2013Trek, Team Picnic-PostNL, and Team Visma-Lease a Bike, five of the most prominent squads in the women\u2019s WorldTour, were all disqualified before a pedal was turned.<\/p>\n The official reason is simple: they refused to nominate a rider to carry a GPS tracker in a test of the system that the UCI wanted to do ahead of a full rollout at the Worlds in Kigali, Rwanda, this northern autumn. The real reason is messier, older, and harder to fix. This is the latest chapter in a decade-long struggle over who controls what goes on a pro\u2019s bike, and who gets the data it produces.<\/p>\n The flashpoint<\/p>\n On paper, the protocol was straightforward. Each team would pick one rider to carry a 63-gram GPS tracker for all three stages, giving race control and medical staff real-time location data. The UCI says the rule was communicated on August 7 and repeated in the pre-race sport directors\u2019 meeting.\u00a0<\/p>\n The teams did not refuse GPS tracking as a concept, EF team boss Jonathan Vaughters told Escape Collective. They refused to choose which of their own riders would carry it and accept the liability if it came loose or was damaged, at least not without clarity from the UCI on the device\u2019s performance or safety implications. According to Vaughters, the teams’ counter-offer was simple: the UCI should pick the rider and install the device themselves. The UCI said no.<\/p>\n Vaughters summed up the mood: \u201cWe never said we wouldn\u2019t use it\u2026 [The UCI said] if we didn\u2019t put someone forth, we would be disqualified. I really can\u2019t explain it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n As is often the case with these disputes, the flashpoint in question is at the end of a long line of grievances. Romandie was a proxy tussle for a simmering, ongoing collision of stakeholders in the sport over power and control. I asked Vaughters if this was more of a straw plus camel\u2019s back situation. \u201cYeah,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe whole thing is ridiculous,\u201d he added. \u201cUp until 5 mins before the start, I kept telling the girls they would back down. But nope.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n This post is for paying subscribers only Already have an account? Sign in<\/a><\/p>\n Did we do a good job with this story?<\/p>\n \n \ud83d\udc4dYep![\"Caley](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/CF_PROFILE-150x150.png\")
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