Disc brakes are now being banned by sportives, a move that follows the horror injuries sustained at Paris-Roubaix.
Less than two weeks after the UCI suspended the use of disc brakes in pro road races because of the injuries sustained by Francisco Ventoso in Paris-Roubaix, the fall-out has spread to leisure cycling.
A large number of sportives run under the French Cycling Federation umbrella have said the brakes will not be permitted in the events this year.
The full list of the events where disc brakes are now banned is available by following this link.
It includes major events that lots of Irish cyclists travel over to France to ride every year including L’Etape du Tour, La Marmotte, and L’Ariegeoise.
The fact the disc brakes were introduced on a trial basis, for last year and this year, and then withdrawn over safety concerns following a high profile and serious injury clearly poses problems for sportive organisers globally.
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Disc brakes are obviously perfectly legal, but having been effectively deemed unfit for use – at least in the short term - in a competitive event, if a sportive rider was injured by a disc brake and took a legal action, questions could be asked about why the brakes were allowed in the event.
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The UCI had already said it was suspending the use of disc brakes as a direct result of the injuries caused to Movistar’s Francisco Ventoso in Paris-Roubaix. And now the large group of sportives organised by the French cycling federation have followed the UCI's lead and banned the brakes.
Cyclists ride close to each other in both sportives and races and the risk of crashing is just as real in both.
And with the French federation now having joined the UCI in putting a halt on disc brakes, it may put pressure on other sportives and similar leisure events around the world to take the same precautions.
However, for now only those sportives in France organised by the national federation are affected.
If you are travelling to France for an event independent of the organisation and not included on the list, the brakes are not banned.
The UCI issued a statement last week confirming it had suspended with immediate effect the use of disc brakes by professional road race teams.
The world governing body said the move came about as a direct result of Francisco Ventoso’s injuries.
He was cut to the bone when he was forced to unclip about 130km into the race on a section of pavé to avoid others who had fallen and were blocking his way.
And while he says his leg only touched the bike of the rider next to him before he quickly continued on his way, when he looked down at his leg a little further up the road he could see to the bone.
Interestingly, the UCI has said while it had suspended the use of disc brakes, consultation of whether they could be used again would continue.
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