Race Safety

Oh the heels of Lee Rodgers report from the Tour of Korea (wow, devastation barely covers it!) I thought it might be a good idea to review the safety requirements of different level racing. Let's start at the top with UCI racing. The UCI website has several sections on Race Organization and Safety, but details are only really covered in the tech guide...and even then only briefly!

From the Tech Guide on Organization:

Race programme - technical guide

(N) The organiser shall prepare a programme - technical guide for his race each time it is held.

(N) The programme - technical guide shall cover all details of organisation, and at minimum:

• the specific regulations for the event which, depending on the type of race, shall include the following: - mention of the fact that the race will be run under UCI regulations; - a statement that only the UCI scale of penalties will apply; - where applicable, the local anti-doping legislation which will be applicable in addition to

the UCI's anti-doping regulations; - the class of event and the UCI points scale applicable; - the categories of riders; - the number of riders per team (maximum and minimum); - the opening hours of the race headquarters; - the venue and time for the confirmation of starters and the distribution of identification

numbers; - the venue and time of the sports directors’ meeting; - the exact location of race headquarters, the testing station for anti-doping tests; - the frequency used for radio-tour; - secondary classifications including all the information required (points, tie-break proce-

dures, etc.); - the prizes awarded for all classifications; - any applicable time bonuses; - the finishing time limits; - stages with summit finishes for the purposes of article 2.6.027; - awards ceremony procedures; - the procedures for applying the times recorded during team time trial stages to individual

classifications; - the presence of the neutral support service via motorcycle, if any; - feeding points, if any, during time trial events or stages and the relevant procedures; - the criteria used to determine the starting order of a time trial event or prologue; the criteria

shall determine the order of teams; each team shall determine the starting order of its riders. • a description of the course or the stages with profile (profile if necessary), distances, feeding

points and, where applicable, circuits; • obstacles on the course (tunnels, level crossings, danger points, etc.); • a detailed route and the schedule anticipated; • intermediate sprints, mountain primes and special primes; • the plan and the profile (profile if necessary) of the final three kilometres; • exact start and finish points;

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ROAD RACESUCI CYCLING REGULATIONS

2.2.013

2.2.014

2.2.015

2.2.016 2.2.017

2.2.018 2.2.019

• the list of hospitals contacted by the organiser in order to receive any injured; • the composition of the commissaires’ panel; • the name, address and telephone number of the event director and the names of the officials • in races with time trial stages: whether the use of a specific time trial bicycle is prohibited for

time trial stages.

(text modified on 1.01.02; 1.01.05; 1.01.07; 1.01.09).

So, no mention is made of the requirements of the medical staff on site, the ambulance crew, etc is made.  That is suprising and I'll be curious to see if there are any consequences for Tour of Korea's seeming lack of preparation...