Overview
- Several Women's WorldTeams told Dutch outlet Wielerflits this week that some female riders are placing padding in their bras to create a 'chest fairing' and gain an aerodynamic edge in time trials.
- The UCI has notified teams that race juries will increase scrutiny of competitors' clothing and will pay particular attention to compliance with article 1.3.032 of its rules, which bars items that modify a rider's morphology.
- Aerodynamics research by Professor Bert Blocken found that chest fairing can cut drag by about 3.6 percent and shift airflow away from the thighs, a change that can translate into seconds over standard time-trial distances.
- Complaining teams have proposed that female jurors carry out checks in closed tents immediately after time trials, a measure that raises practical questions and privacy concerns for riders.
- There have been no public findings or sanctions tied to the current race so far, and the UCI's move follows earlier enforcement against clothing or equipment judged to give aerodynamic gains.