UCI confirms GPS tracking for all riders at Rwanda Worlds
The UCI has confirmed it will roll out GPS safety tracking across all races at next week’s Road World Championships in Rwanda (September 21–28), marking the first full implementation of the technology. Every rider in every category will wear a device, with the system designed to alert organisers and medical staff immediately if a rider crashes or stops unexpectedly.
The push comes a year after the death of Swiss rider Muriel Furrer, who went unseen after a crash at the 2024 Worlds. Trials were conducted last month at the Tour de Romandie Féminin, though they ended in controversy when five WorldTour teams – including Visma-Lease a Bike and Canyon-Sram Zondacrypto – were disqualified in a dispute over safety and liability concerns. With national teams replacing trade squads in Rwanda, the UCI expects the rollout to proceed without conflict.
“This initiative is important and necessary progress,” UCI president David Lappartient said. “Thanks to this system, any incident or accident that might have gone unnoticed can be quickly identified, and it will be possible to assist the rider as fast as possible.” The GPS tracking will be monitored in real time from the UCI’s control centre in Kigali, covering road races, time trials, and team events across the week of racing.
