Triathletes, we may now put our pitchforks down, and blow the torches out. World Triathlon has released yet another interpretation document for the hydration, cockpit, and storage rules.
The critical update is that storage boxes, such as those integrated into bikes from Quintana Roo, Specialized, Orbea, Trek, and more over the last decade, are now specifically excepted from the rear carrier rules, just as RaceRanger devices are. In fewer words: you now no longer need to choose between carrying a storage box or a rear water bottle. You can have both.
The cockpit may not extend beyond the leading edge of the front wheel.
When measured from the lowest edge of the arm support (or athlete’s elbow in intended aero position, if no support exists), all attached bottles, carriers, etc. must fit within a box that starts at the furthermost edge of the aerobar, extends no more than 25 cm in the direction of a saddle, is no more than 20 cm tall, and is further than 5mm from the front wheel.
No body part may rest on these attachments and carriers, and no body part may be covered by them.
No more than 2 liters of fluid is allowed.
Bike computers and their holders are excepted from these rules.
For the back end of your bike:
A maximum of 2 bottles is permissible, with a combined total volume of 2 liters or less.
The holder, carrier, and container (if using such a mount for storage) must fit in a 30 x 30cm box. Bottles may protrude from this area.
Race Ranger units and storage boxes are excepted from this ruleset.
This is good news. Though I feel like the specific wording on storage boxes has such vague enough exemption that you could drive a truck through it
Rear mounted storage boxes that are able to contain tubes, CO2, tire levers, and other tools necessary for basic maintenance.
Borrowing a photo, what stops an enterprising triathlete from just making the box bigger, or multiple boxes? The 30x30 rules pertain to the part that is used to support the water bottle holder, only, not the bottle or (presumably) a storage box attached to it.
Don’t get me wrong, we’re back in the right direction, but I’m not sure the current iteration actually stops any of the more egregious setups on the back end. If anything, it now gives someone license to go back to the drawing board and see how large a box they can put back there and still call it a toolbox/flat kit
They will give 30 days notice of planned enforcement. Seems likely they were aware WT was considering a change and wanted this update before making any change to their rules for AG.
If that happens I wouldn’t be shocked if they are forced to change it at bike check-in. We can all look at something and know it’s beyond the intent of the rule (Joe Skippers 4 bottles). Also would applaud a ref for then taking vengeance iby dinging the dipshit who goes way too far by carding them into oblivion during the race. Slightly pushing the bounds of rules is expected and a good thing but being an A hole and intentionally trying to find a massive truck size loophole is dickish and deserves a response in kind to prevent it becoming a recurring theme.
Any clarification on the front bta window using a 750ml bottle as a reference that is mentioned in a WT video (and DTU rules) but not the WT rules or interpretation doc?
The rules don’t stipulate a size and you can always argue that you need a lot of tools. If the criteria is the ref’s judgement then we’ll get boxes that get slightly bigger and more egregious each year. Ditlev increases his size so Kalinn increases his size, and so on…
That it also happens to be aerodynamically shaped is irrelevant.
Same thing they did to Dietlev last year and tell em to fuck off and change it. His bike didn’t violate the letter of the law (supposedly) but it violated the spirit and they told him to kick rocks. I think the same will happen if someone tries to drive a Mac truck through some attempt at a loophole.
Great news! And respect for the insight that the rules had to be changed.
Now I can unscrew my hastily 3d printed, ugly box, and reinstall the QR box on my Felt
