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Bowman Pilgrims 16Non! No refund for L’Etape du Tour entrant affected by disc brake ban
A road.cc reader with a road bike with disc brakes has been told he is not entitled to a refund of his entrance fee to this year’s L’Etape du Tour despite the ban on disc brakes announced by the French cycling federation, the FFC, last week.
The ban, which follows the UCI’s suspension of a trial of disc brakes within the peloton, applies to all events organised under the umbrella of the FFC, including cyclosportives such as L’Etape du Tour.
The UCI’s decision to bar disc brakes in pro racing came after Movistar rider Fran Ventoso sustained a serious cut to his leg in a crash at Paris-Roubaix, with the Spanish rider maintaining a disc brake caused the injury.
It has been reported that insurance concerns were a factor in the FFC’s decision to follow suit. As we reported yesterday, the Spanish federation, the RFEC, has also now forbidden disc brakes from road events including sportives.
> Spain joins France in banning disc brakes from road events including sportives
The FAQ section of the Etape du Tour website states that “All types of FFC approved bikes are accepted, with the exception of electric bikes.” Since last week, road bikes with disc brakes now fall outside that definition.
Following the news of the FFC’s ban last week, Mark Ireland wrote to Etape du Tour organisers ASO Challenges to clarify the position including whether he could obtain a refund of the €143.99 he had paid them, which included the €100 entry fee, €5 insurance charge and extras such as photos.
He asked: “Are you able to confirm whether or not road bikes with disc brakes will be permitted at the event? If not, I assume that it will be possible to get a refund on the entry.”
He was told: “According to the rules of the Etape du Tour, the disc brakes are not allowed for this race.
“Every person who registers to the Etape du Tour agrees with the rules and accept them without any reserves. These rules explain that every participant will have to do the race with material approved by the FFC (and thus the UCI). Disc brakes not being so, your bike is not permitted on the Etape du Tour.
“Controls equipment (as doping controls) are made by federal authorities or independent and not by the organizers.
“In terms of insurance and your responsibility, if you realize the race with a non-certified equipment, not respecting the rules of the competition, you will not be covered by your insurance.”
The decision to ban disc brakes from the event is out of ASO’s control, and the FFC regulations governing what is and isn’t allowed are the ones in force at the time of the event, not registration, but Mark’s frustration in the circumstances is understandable.
He told road.cc: “I decided to build up a road disc bike (Bowman Pilgrims) because of the versatility that a road disc bike provides for riding in the UK, the ability to take the single track road that you'd normally give a miss on your conventional 23mm road bike, the year round braking confidence.”
> Bowman Cycles Pilgrims Disc frameset
We asked him whether hiring or borrowing a bike was an option. “I have looked at hiring a bike,” he said, “but personally don't much fancy tackling the descents of the Alps on an unfamiliar bike, I'd considered that more of a risk than running disc brakes.”
As for ASO’s attitude, he added: “Personally I think that that they haven't really considered the impact to everyday riders, who perhaps, don't have more than one bike to choose from. Most of all I'm frustrated by the lack of communication.
“There has been no email or website communication. I had to get in touch with ASO following seeing the story initially on road.cc.”
After France, cyclists from the UK make up the next biggest national contingent, accounting for more than one in five of the 15,010 entrants last year.
In Europe, the British market, less conservative than countries such as France and Spain, is leading the way when it comes to uptake of disc brake equipped road bikes.
Indeed many sportive bikes on the market now, such as the Giant Defy, come as disc brake only, as does most of the Cannondale Synapse range.
They’re proving popular among sportive riders too, and with cyclists from the UK making up more than one in five Etape du Tour entrants – the biggest national contingent after France – Mark is unlikely to be the only one in this situation.
> French sportive disc brake ban leaves British riders and tour operators struggling to react
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
Latest Comments
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46 comments
Yes, that highlights a serious risk. I'm forever pulling the pump off the valve when riding at high speed in a packed peleton in European sportives.
"I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31HaTbWONmQ
I am in the same position with regards La Marmotte and at the moment the only bike I have found to hire is 1 size smaller frame and 10 speed.
Still considering whether to buy a new non-disc bike instead, but going from a Synapse Hi-Mod disc to something half the price with rim brakes is not very appealing to say the least.
further proof that UCI decisions are all about selling more bikes!
You can pick up last year's Bianchi Infnito cv for £2200 at the moment here (if it fits):
http://startcycles.co.uk/bikes/road-bikes/bianchi-2015-c2c-infinito-cv-u...
I just bought one a couple of weeks ago with another 10% off - so was a "bargain" £1979.
Not really a step down from your hi-mod!
You can pick up last year's Bianchi Infnito cv for £2200 at the moment here (if it fits):
Good option but unfortunately not
ANYTHING is a step down from a Synapse hi-mod!
Well, just boycott the event.
FFC Regs have never allowed disc brakes for competition use (only training & cyclocross), so why had ASO let disc bikes go out on Sportives in previous years?
It would have meant (according to their reasoning) that the riders would not have been insured in the event.
As far as I understand the Spanish equivalent to the FFC is taking the same stance. Disc brake bikes were never explicitly allowed. They were only allowed as a test in certain UCI races.
As the sportives I am participating in are mostly on open roads I will just ride a bit later than the race or the day before. So the money for the hotels and rental cars is not wasted, only for the sportive.
I also looked into renting a bike, but it really isn't the same. And also quite expensive if you include a few days of training on that bike.
[quote=cdamian
As the sportives I am participating in are mostly on open roads I will just ride a bit later than the race or the day before. So the money for the hotels and rental cars is not wasted, only for the sportive.
[/quote]
Its not a race
Its not a race
[/quote]
Well said, sportives are not races
I meant to say event. I know they are not races (even though some of them are timed and people race them, but I certainly don't)
They are neither training nor cyclocross events. Those are the only situations that FFC deem that disc bikes can be used.
It needs to FFC to confirm exactly what type of event an organised sportive is.
What they did confirm was:
"the Federal Bureau at its meeting on 14 April 2016 decided to ban the use of disc brakes on all road events organised under the authority of FFC."
Well said, sportives are not races
[/quote]
On the continent, they basically are (certainly up the front end). It's a different definition to the UK one. I've ridden a few in Belgium where they are marginally more relaxed but it's still not uncommon to get the odd pro or two in there using it as unofficial training. You get regimented bunches, any breaches of etiquette are dealt with in extremely blunt terms and they will properly motor along.
Spain runs them as a "neutralised mass start" and after a few km of that, the lead car pulls way and it becomes (to all intents and purposes) a road race but with a higher degree of cooperation initially.
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