Demi Vollering’s rainbow jersey came with an unwelcome addition: a hefty CHF1,000 ($1200USD / 911 GBP) fine, a 25-point deduction in the UCI rankings and a yellow card following her world championship victory in Montréal on Saturday.
The post-race commissaires’ communiqué states that the Dutch rider had been penalised for “using a non-compliant position or point of support on the bicycle” during the women’s elite road race.
The ruling cited article 2.12.007.9 of the UCI regulations, which prohibits riding positions or points of support on the bicycle that breach the rules and pose a danger to the rider or other competitors.
Latest Videos FromCycling Weekly
In plain terms, the rule penalises riders for adopting prohibited positions that could compromise control of their bike. Well-known examples include “puppy paws”, where riders rest their forearms on the handlebars to reduce wind resistance, and the “super tuck”, where they sit on the top tube rather than the saddle. Both are banned in road races. The communiqué did not specify which position Vollering used or when in the race the infraction occurred.
The race results remain unaffected, and while she received a point deduction, her UCI ranking will largely be unaffected. Prior to the World Championships race, the Dutchwoman led the published standings by more than 3,300 points, so the 25-point sanction will only make a minor dent.
Explore More
