A confidential document seen by Escape Collective shows that drivetrain manufacturers are far more united in opposition to the UCI’s proposed gear restriction trial than previously known. The position paper, prepared by the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry’s (WFSGI) drivetrain working group, repeats concerns raised by pro teams and key manufacturer SRAM that the planned test risks unintended safety consequences, exposes brands to liability, and is already destabilising sponsorship negotiations for future seasons.
Ronan Mc Laughlin
The UCI has framed its new rule as a safety measure and accused SRAM of “undermining the necessary unity among cycling stakeholders, which is essential for progress toward a safer sport.” That line, from a statement issued after SRAM's legal complaint was lodged with the Belgian Competition Authority, sought to portray SRAM as an outlier resisting a collective safety effort. But the WFSGI position paper paints a very different picture, indicating manufacturers are broadly aligned in opposition to both the test and the broad gear restriction plan itself.
Did we do a good job with this story?
