February 4, 2010 (Ottawa, ON) – The Canadian Cycling Association (CCA) is banning the use of race radios this year. Jacques Landry, the CCA’s Chief Technical Officer, explains that race radios will be banned at all events with the exception of the ProTour races in Quebec City on September 10 and in Montreal on September 12.

US Cycling similarly decided this week to ban race radios at all events except the Amgen Tour of California, the Tour of Missouri, the Philadelphia International Classic for men, and the Liberty Classic for women.

Landry explained the rationale behind the CCA move is two-fold: “On a development level, the use of radios means that riders don’t think for themselves; they simply follow orders blindly. It’s their coach who is calling the shots. As a secondary reason, the UCI strives to regulate technology, making things more equal for everybody. In Belgium, for example, teams have to apply for an expensive government licence to operate race radios there. Not all teams can afford this top-of-the-line technology.”

He further explained that the move applies not only to road races, but also to all cycling disciplines. However, it is essentially a non-issue in other disciplines where race radios are rarely (if ever) used. There is an existing ban already in place for lower level races, but pro elite races – such as Montreal and Quebec City ProTour – and world cup races in Canada are exempt from this ban in 2010. However, the Montreal Women’s World Cup will not be held this year, making the two ProTour races in September the sole exceptions.

Provincial organizers can potentially ask for an exemption from the ban, but this is seen as unlikely. Asked about exemptions in coming years, Landry expects that “the UCI will likely move to ban radios, full stop.”

Landry added that, “it is not only riders who will have to readapt to riding without race radios. Coaches, managers, and riders all need to learn how to function without radios. Coaches and riders will have to have meetings prior to the race instead of relaying the information later by radio. We have to relearn forgotten skills.”

In a controversial move during the 2009 World Championships, the UCI voted to phase out the use of two-way radios in all aspects of road racing, claiming that they do not reduce the number of accidents during competitions. A UCI press release last year also claims that but that, “two-way radio distorts the nature of cycle sport. [Our committee] also took into account the desire expressed by the majority of those involved in cycling to prohibit the equipment.”

The UCI also banned race radios during stage 10 of the 2009 TdF, but cancelled plans to repeat the ban for stage 13.