Originally published at: We Noticed: UCI Could Ban 10-Tooth Cogs, IRONMAN Ottawa Champ’s Bike Stolen, Westchester Tri Returns and XTERRA Worlds Preview - Slowtwitch News
Aliisa Heiskanen takes the overall age-group win at IRONMAN Ottawa. Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images for IRONMAN
UCI Gear Rules Lead to SRAM Lawsuit
As a follow to Ryan Heisler’s piece on the SRAM lawsuit earlier this week, here’s a bit more info, including the UCI’s response:
Earlier this summer the UCI announced that it was going to restrict gearing to limit maximal gear rollout to 10.46 m. That translates to a maximum allowable gear ratio of 54 x 11. The move effectively made SRAM’s 10-tooth cogs illegal if used with larger chainrings.
The UCI cited safety and fairness concerns for the new rule – the idea is that it would limit speeds while also stopping Shimano users from feeling forced to put monstrous chainrings on their bikes to be competitive. The UCI also argues that allowing larger maximal gear rollouts favours larger riders. (But narrow bars that would benefit smaller riders and women aren’t OK, according to the new bar width rule.)
The new rule is a huge issue for any pro cyclists using SRAM’s drivetrain, forcing them to block off the 10-tooth cog and turning their 12-speed drivetrains to 11-speed versions. That’s why the company has taken the UCI to court (OK, to be specific, SRAM filed a complaint to the Belgian Competition Authority, which has in turn started an anti-trust action against the UCI). SRAM argues that the new rule unfairly targets their athletes and teams, and also restricts innovation. The company argues it is the only manufacturer affected by the rule – Shimano’s smallest cog is 11-teeth, and Campagnolo’s Super Record 13 gruppo offers both 10- and 11-tooth cogs.
The UCI has said that the rule is only being “tested” at the Tour of Guangxi in October. In a press release sent out on Sept. 20 to respond to the Belgian Competition Authority’s announcement of it’s “investigation into the adoption by the International Cycling Union of a technical standard limiting the maximum gear ratio allowed in professional road cycling events.”
The release continued:
The UCI is puzzled by the issuance of the Belgian Competition Authority’s press release before the UCI has even been served with the complaint and by the obvious inaccuracies contained in this statement. In particular, the statement does not reflect the fact that the UCI has publicly indicated that it will consider the findings of this test before considering if further tests are relevant in 2026. Only then, would the UCI potentially consider any changes to the regulations. Even more surprisingly, the release does not even deem it necessary to indicate that the test that will be conducted by the UCI is aimed at exploring measures aimed at increasing rider safety, which is a fundamental prerogative of all sport governing bodies.
Should triathletes care about all this? For sure. Triathletes have long been known as the early adopters of various technologies, and you’ll see lots of bikes set up with SRAM 1x drivetrains and 10-tooth cogs at IRONMAN races, including the world championship in Kona in a few months. If the UCI does decide that its test in China makes sense and adopts the rule, since World Triathlon often follows the UCI lead, we could see the same restriction introduced for triathletes. I am guessing I’m not the only triathlete who loves his 1x set up, and has really enjoyed having the 10-tooth cog on his tri bike. IRONMAN doesn’t necessarily adopt all World Triathlon rules, but even the possibility that it might could be a big problem for SRAM (and many triathletes) down the road.
Stolen Bike
Aliisa Heiskanen, the winner of IRONMAN Ottawa earlier this year (9:32:46), has had her pre-Marbella preparation thrown into turmoil after having her bike stolen from her car.
“The bike has some sentimental value,” she told CTV News. “I bought it from a Canadian Paralympian … he used the bike to get to the next level, and that’s why I bought the bike as well.”
The bike was locked in the trunk of her car while she was training at Gatineau Park. The Giant Trinity Advance Pro had a custom front end and a Flo rear disc wheel.
Heiskanen turned down her spot in Kona (she obviously won the 25 to 29 age category) because she had already qualified for the worlds in Marbella and wanted to redeem herself after crashing at last year’s worlds and ending up with a DNF.
“It was really tempting to do Kona, but I felt I wouldn’t be able to do both, and because I had already qualified for the half, I felt I should put the focus on where it needs to be, or I will end up walking the entire half,” she told CBC radio in another interview this week.
According to Heskainen, a bike shop in Ottawa, FullCycle, has offered to set her up on a bike she can use in Marbella, which she’ll be picking up tomorrow.
Toughman Westchester Triathlon Returns
This weekend I was in New York announcing at the Toughman Westchester Triathlon, which was back for the first time since 2019. Over 600 athletes took part in the event that included a small kids race on the Saturday, and the USA Triathlon Collegiate Club Northeast Championship.
There was some debate on the exact year the Westchester event got started, with one athlete telling me the first event took place in 1981, and another saying it was a year or two later. Suffice it to say that the race was one of the original triathlons in the US. Steve Tarpinian helped make the event part of the USTS Triathlon Series in 1996, and at its heyday the event saw 2,000 competitors.
“We are thrilled to bring the Westchester Triathlon back to the city of Rye,” said Event Director Rich Izzo. “The energy, community spirit, and athlete enthusiasm were incredible. Thanks to everyone who made this event possible — it’s just the beginning of many more successful years ahead.”
XTERRA World Championship in Molveno
Photo: XTERRA
The 29th XTERRA World Championship will take place in Molveno, Italy this weekend. For 25 years the race took placing in Maui, the race moved to the spectacular spot in the UNESCO World Heritage site in the Brenta Dolomites. The full-distance championship takes place on Saturday, Sept. 27, with the Youth World Championship to be held on Sunday, Sept. 28. The racing will be live-streamed here.
Athletes qualified for the worlds at one of the 50 XTERRA World Tour Events held this year, and there are expected to be over 1,000 athletes from 54 countries competing this weekend.
France’s Arthur Serrières and Solenne Billouin are both looking to complete a four-for-four sweep of the races in Molveno. Both will have some tough competition – Serrières will no-doubt be pushed by countrymen Felix and Arthur Forissier, while Billouin is likely to be challenged by Switzerland’s Alanis Siffert, who has enjoyed a spectacular road tri season with a third-place finish at Challenge Roth and wins at Challenge Taiwan, and the climbfests at Garardmer and Embrun.