14 Riders Receive Fines at the Les Gets World Champs 2022

Aug 29, 2022 at 3:15
by Ed Spratt  
Lots of practice time today meant many visits to the start gate for most. The track is changing very rapidly in the rooty bits.

Just like previous World Cups this year, the UCI has handed out more fines after the World Champs with 14 riders failing to "present to the start".

After the incredible weekend of racing the UCI announced that it has handed out 14 fines to riders who were announced to race but did not "present to the start". The list of riders includes the likes of Tahnee Seagrave, Tuhoto-Ariki Pene and Oisin O Callaghan. It's interesting to see Tahnee on the list as she shared just before racing kicked off that despite being on the GB team she would not be riding.

photo

We have looked through the UCI rules and regulations and while we couldn't find an exact match for this rule breach we did spot this in the specific World Championship rules.

bigquotesUnless prevented by an act of God, a rider once announced as taking the start and who fails to present, shall be liable to a fine of CHF 500 to CHF 5,000.

An injury or sickness shall be recognised as an act of God only if the rider is declared incapable of taking the start by the UCI official doctor.— UCI

This seems to fit with the "fail to present to the start" reasoning for the fines from the UCI although it's strange that Tahnee Seagrave who is suffering from concussion symptoms wouldn't have been signed off by a UCI official doctor. We are not sure what fine the riders were given in the wide range of CHF 500 to CHF 5,000 ($523 to $5174) if this is the rule breach that has been applied to the 14 riders.

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245 Comments
  • 778 11
 Fuck the UCI
  • 181 6
 Fuck the UCI.
  • 185 6
 Flück the UCI
  • 166 3
 poor ukranian dude Dead Horse
  • 129 8
 @RedBurn: Does a war (started by Puti) count as a act of God?
  • 38 3
 @squarewheel: pope approves so i would say yes
  • 90 7
 @RedBurn: UCI should bill Putin for Ukraine team fines
  • 51 1
 What a bunch of wankers.
  • 41 5
 LOL at people who didn't know the UCI has been pulling this crap for decades and there's a reason why we've always hated the UCI.
  • 3 1
 @Lanebobane: yes mate
  • 23 1
 Flückiger announced to race and didn't present...where's his fine?
  • 21 2
 FUCI
  • 4 5
 @HughBonero: TBH suprised they let the men out the country to race!
  • 4 2
 Is for this reason I like to be always a freeride without roles stupid.... Fuck UCI....
  • 2 1
 @chris-brown225: Hah, I guess he's not fine :O
  • 10 1
 Apparently Uci has a new business scheme, they are giving fines every race now
  • 11 3
 Fuck the UCI. With the possible exception of the cute girl who counts racers down in the start hut at some rounds. But yeah, otherwise....
  • 5 0
 Lets see if we get this comment to top this years most voted...
  • 5 0
 They must be poor…a paltry maximum $70k of fine revenue despite the incredibly negative press and lasting taste of resentment in the mouths of recently unionised riders. Just…weird. Didn’t Tuhoto break his hand in practice the day before? Surely they knew about that…I don’t get it. Not sure they understand who brings the value to this sport of ours…
  • 3 0
 This seems like good policy for the World Champs, since there are national teams instead of open qualifying like a World Cup. If a rider can't ride, they should let someone else take their spot on the national team.
  • 12 0
 A-B-C-D-E, F-Uci And your coverage and your geo-blocks and your start gate And your broke-ass prize purse and that shit you call wc racing Fuck you and your paywall that I'll never see again Everybody but Warner, you can all fuck off
  • 3 0
 @threesixtykickflip:


#RobGotWarner'd
  • 1 0
 @dthomp325: interesting view. do the teams take alternates along to the race? seems like it would be a team manager's job to make the organisers aware of who from their teams are riding...unsure why the individual riders are fined instead of the country's governing team.
  • 442 38
 "Unless prevented by an act of God"
In which century do we live?
  • 35 6
 Indeed. Now the sprints will be defined by divine will, and not pure human power.
  • 159 5
 It’s an archaic way of saying it, but act of god is standard contractual language used to refer to circumstances completely outside the control of either party.
  • 34 4
 that's just what it's called, has nothing to do with the christian god anymore
  • 24 7
 Terribly outdated expression indeed. In the German expression I never read Höhere Gewalt as religious or spiritual by any means.
  • 28 15
 @pisgahgnar: I know that it is not referencing a certain god nowadays but I find that expression completely outdated.
  • 16 94
flag JohanG (Aug 29, 2022 at 4:07) (Below Threshold)
 lol, better to be quiet than to say things like this and show your ignorance.
  • 14 29
flag vinay FL (Aug 29, 2022 at 4:21) (Below Threshold)
 @pisgahgnar: I thought religious people have a wide variety of ways to influence their gods. Prayer, sacrifices, sex, doing work on a dedicated rest day... This is the first time I've seen such an expression even though I've seen contracts before.
  • 130 8
 Dear UCI,

yesterday morning I was contacted by an invisible power from above. With words of almighty wisdom I was told:

"You shall not start your journey down the abyss called Mont Chery downhill track in Les Gets. For those who conduct breach, eternal damnation and a shitload of flat tyres shall be awaited."
  • 21 3
 @vinay: you’ve not seen the term Force Majeure? The French version is often used in English documents. Meaning a superior force i.e., God.
  • 65 1
 @pisgahgnar: i.e my wife
  • 5 0
 @jayjay1989: Man that so was freakin funny !!!? I can't stop laffing..... thanks for making my morning.
  • 4 0
 @vinay: standard insurance parlance
  • 3 0
 It’s basically the same phrase in German contracts, refering to the “higher power” (höhere Gewalt).
  • 16 1
 @Blablablup123: Who said that it was a reference to the christian god? It could be that the crocodile god Sobek is in a mutually beneficial partnership with the uci.
  • 16 2
 What I don't understand is If the doctor says you can't race due to sickness or injury, the UCI call it an act of God. Weird wording, but ok Kine Haugom dislocated her shoulder, on day 1 I think, and was told she can't ride for 6 weeks. How is she getting fined. Seriously. There's a few more that couldn't race due to injury on this list, but this is the most obvious one. Like wtf
  • 3 1
 @agrohardtail: must not have seen the right doctor.
  • 8 1
 @mfoga: ha, yeah probably.

If x rays aren't enough for the UCI, then a proper riders union is seriously needed
  • 10 1
 @JohanG: lol, better to be quiet than to say things like this and show your ignorance
  • 4 0
 @mfoga: I am fairly sure the Redbull DR Tahnee saw is more invested in her continued well being than a UCI dr...
  • 1 1
 @pisgahgnar: no waaay
  • 3 1
 Do they mean the god of Abraham, or a bike smashed by Mjöllnir would also considered a valid exception?
  • 5 1
 It's a genuine and accepted legal term. Just a way of saying events beyond your control. Weirdly there is another term used in the same way in English speaking contracts that is actually French which is " force majeure".
  • 1 0
 @Dustfarter: Yes, we deal with this in the insurance world.
  • 9 15
flag SterlingArcher (Aug 29, 2022 at 8:19) (Below Threshold)
 @Dustfarter: you have to remember: people that think it has to do with actual religion don’t have jobs nor are qualified for most professions i.e. most pinkbike users lolol
  • 5 5
 Imagine living in this century and not understanding a basic statement and making such a silly post for all to see.
  • 7 5
 Damn, God bothers you that much that you can’t let an old expression slide?
  • 4 1
 Even the immortal gods survive only as long as they are required by mortal men. -Frank.
  • 5 3
 @TheR: how else are they gonna start a ruckus online? 1st rule of modern society:
"Find a sentence/word/phrase, be offended...and post about it before someone beats you to it."
  • 5 2
 It sounds like in handmaid's tale Under his eye!
  • 1 0
 UCI needs a Deus ex Machina to save us from this unresolvable human-made tragedy.
  • 1 0
 @ridermtb-inceptioncyclery: but he has no power so he was not the right one
  • 2 0
 @jjhobbs: UCI are an insurance company?
Well that does go a long way to explaining why their default is to be naturally good at doing evil shit.
  • 3 0
 UCI headquarters are inside tha Vatican.
  • 3 0
 They praise the Money God!
  • 1 0
 @bashhard: ya because we're so 2020 omg
  • 2 0
 @jjhobbs: So, they've got the wrong person in the communication department? This is bicycle racing, not insurance business. Fining people because they can't attend a race has nothing to do with insurance business. I'll check my insurance papers again but I'm pretty sure there is no single mention of God, Satan nor the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Ramen.
  • 2 1
 The days of the week in English, Tuesday-Friday, are named after Norse Gods.

In which century do we live?
  • 1 1
 And don’t even get me started on Sabado and Domingo in Spanish.
In which century do we live?
  • 3 0
 @TheR: don’t even get me started on Pope Gregory‘s calendar. Do we live in the 15th century??
  • 2 0
 @pisgahgnar: Well that depends.... Which state were you in again?
  • 1 0
 @vinay said: "I'll check my insurance papers again but I'm pretty sure there is no single mention of God, Satan nor the Flying Spaghetti Monster"

Boy...are you in for a surprise. It's official language in most all policies. Acts of Nature and/or Acts of God. But hey, if you don't have a God, they don't have to cover it? Beer

www.irmi.com/search?query=acts%20of%20god&collection=irmi-search

www.google.com/search?q=insurance+for+acts+of+god&rlz=1C1RXQR_enUS932US936&oq=insurance+policy+acts+of+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0i22i30j0i15i22i30j0i390l3.4994j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
  • 287 5
 Tahnee: "I'm trying to promote actually taking care of your brain, so it's not mush once we retire after giving our bodies for the UCI's benefit."
UCI: "Nah, gib money"
  • 105 18
 Wasted another riders chance, should of withdrawn a week ago
  • 36 3
 Should never have been on the TV then and someone else could have taken her place. She is right to get healthy first so why was she ever on the team
  • 20 6
 @Wesleybikes: Maybe, or maybe the UK cycling federation backed her for a reason. They knew she wasn't going to compete. She also wouldn't have passed any metrics they might have had for the past year so it's not unlikely that they specifically chose to back her. Whether for selfish reasons for her name, or because they wanted to support their athlete, or for any other reason. Point is, she had a right to be there, and she used it to take a stand against the lack of support for the athletes from UCI's side. I wouldn't call that a waste.
  • 12 2
 @Wesleybikes: Also, I'm not fully up to speed with the championship regulations, but from other countries it seemed like they had the freedom to choose how many to send. Are you certain she even took another rider's spot?
  • 5 4
 @chrismac70: Except she earned the place. UCI doesn't care about concussions so would have been happy with her racing. Up to her how she uses it.
And to be clear, I don't have a problem with the fine for not starting, or really for her being fined in this instance because it is against the rules. She, or her backers, would have decided that the fine was worth it for the publicity. It's the lack of response from the UCI, and how they still say that there are only an insignificantly small number of concussions in the sport that I have a problem with.
  • 5 0
 I think it´s weird with Thanee. From the latest news I was surprised to see her on the start list.
Canyon also made a custom paintjob for World champs
  • 3 0
 @ringle79: To be fair there were a couple of custom paintjobs for people who weren't racing.
  • 10 1
 Rachel Atherton was offered a spot on the team but didn't take it - certainly an option for those who knew they weren't going to race. Feels like Tahnee had some FOMO and decided she wanted to be part of the party.
  • 1 2
 True that she could have let another rider take her spot.

But I'm confused as to why she wasn't pulled off the start list any way the day her plane didn't leave home.

Alternates are assigned and attend right? So wouldn't another rider have been on site in the event of an injured rider and be able to slot in immediately? Or were there just no other UK riders available to fill the position of alternate?
  • 1 0
 @blowmyfuse: She was at the event.
  • 3 3
 @commental: so she DID take another rider's spot. Mkay.

Seems narcissistic of people "seeing" if they can race the day of. Federation spending a boatload of money on trying to put forth a team based on availability and merit.

Merit is trumped by availability every time.

If this were soccer, football, baseball or any other team sport (which Worlds is a team sport broken up by country)...every coach knows that one.

"The greatest ability that can help our team is availability"

That's why so many sports decisions are made before the team even leaves for travel. Some are game day decisions, but are we really going to pretend that a vestibular and cranial injury is a game day decision?

Me ranting meanwhile some noble, feel good girl is sitting back on the couch, missing out on Worlds is having to get ready for Val di Sole thinking "I'm such a good teammate for supporting her option to not race" Beer
  • 2 0
 @Wesleybikes: sponsors will push people to do things they're not comfortable with... perhaps she thought she could pull it off until it became apparent to her that she was risking too much.

Who knows what her reasons were, but i dont think anyone should fault her for it based on assumptions.
  • 160 9
 Surely there is something wrong if the UCI is fining Ukraine riders?
  • 51 194
flag Corbanblamp (Aug 29, 2022 at 3:30) (Below Threshold)
 At least they'll be able to pay with all the extra funding they're getting atm
  • 54 2
 But the war in Ukraine is and act of Putin, not God, so all is correct ... We already know that UCI is there just to grab money, they have no purpose whatsoever.
  • 49 145
flag nyhc00 (Aug 29, 2022 at 3:39) (Below Threshold)
 Biden is sending them a check, gonna add a few extra billion for walking around money.
  • 22 6
 @nyhc00: the things people will do for a handout, eh?
  • 8 2
 Is there any exception defined for Ukrainean riders?
  • 27 7
 @fluider:
No. Putin is not God.
Devil, maybe.
  • 8 2
 Many Ukrainians are competing in other sports round the world from athletics to tennis to football
  • 28 14
 @nyhc00: you still have time to delete this
  • 24 68
flag nyhc00 (Aug 29, 2022 at 5:15) (Below Threshold)
 @wako29: did we all lose or senses of humor over the weekend or what?
  • 2 2
 The hammer of JUSTICE is blind. Yet, you hit that nail roght on the head.
  • 32 5
 @nyhc00: na, just wasn't funny
  • 2 0
 @lkubica: no, they also have the responsible and important job of slowing technical progress as much as possible and providing friends in need (of a second Porsche) a cozy job.
  • 106 0
 Clearly the best use of UCI time and energy to go after injured riders who didn't fill out the correct paperwork....
  • 5 25
flag FuzzyL FL (Aug 29, 2022 at 5:50) (Below Threshold)
 On the other hand, does your employer appreciate it, if you simply don’t show, not providing any excuse, let alone a sick note, saying that you don’t want to be bothered with any paper work?
  • 18 0
 @FuzzyL: It's not just a sick note. They will only accept a sick note provided by your employers chosen physician. Every rider who did not attend certainly has good reason, and the injured ones have all been seen by highly qualified medical professionals. Even in the US with backwards healthcare laws that would not happen. You could of course be fired for taking a sick day since that is not protected, but that's another story.
  • 7 0
 @FuzzyL: Ya I hate being fined by my employer. Totally legal...
  • 3 0
 Peter, I hear you've been having trouble with your TPS Reports?!?
  • 3 3
 @pisgahgnar: Well, in Germany that‘s exactly what happens if your employer doubts the sick note from your physician - you then have to go to the company doctor, or to an official health officer of the district.

However, I don‘t really have enough information ob the cases in question here. Did the athletes actualky provide sick notes by their physicians to the UCI, and those were not accepted? Or were they simply no shows?
  • 10 0
 @FuzzyL: First. UCI is not the employer of any athletes. Tuhoto, for example, broke his wrist in practice. He told his "employer" Mondraker of course and then didn't show up for his race run, of course. He broke it on Friday, went to the hospital for x-rays and now he is expected to send it to UCI for them to process paperwork before his race run? Dumb shit.
  • 2 0
 @pisgahgnar: What exactly do all the team staff and country associations do, if none if them reports to the UCI that one of their riders is going to miss the race?
  • 3 0
 @FuzzyL: I don't know. Fine the teams then, not the riders.
  • 1 1
 @pisgahgnar: I would expect that the fines will be paid by the cycling federation of the country that nominated the athlete.
  • 90 2
 why is tahnee blocking s spot in the natinal team if she knows she wont participate? no offense, just curious…was she actually considering racing an changed her mind last minute? otherwise it seems unreasonable to not let someone else ride…
  • 7 3
 This
  • 20 1
 Wondering also. Everyone here hating on fines given to injured riders, who obviously can't ride, but nobody speaks about the real question : could those riders have announced their absence earlier, thus enabling other riders to compete?
  • 7 1
 Is there a limit to the size of the national team? Switzerland, for example, chose to only send the 3 or 4 riders, and no elite males. They set the selection criteria, not the UCI. There were no entry fees for them either, just costs of supporting the riders to go there. Did UK cycling send her knowing she wouldn't compete, and chose to extend their entry list instead?
  • 16 0
 @Freakyredhead: I think Cathro and Wyn would've been racing if there weren't limits on team sizes.
  • 10 0
 As I hear it from my BMX friends, British Cycling is an incredibly screwed up organization. So, Tahnee has been out due to lingering concussion symptoms, but she met whatever criteria BC had set for the world's team. Did they not check with her? Was she there and realized that she wasn't ready? Did anyone even know she needed to be signed off by the UCU doctor to not race? Regardless, stupid reason to fine any of the riders..
  • 7 0
 @lumpy873: i see, you have a bmx background
  • 15 1
 According to the quotas on the UCI website, GBR had 7 spots for women's downhill, and only used 5. So looks like Tahnée wasn't blocking a spot for that part of your question at least.
  • 2 0
 @MartinKS: yeah, but I'm nowhere as cool as Taj...
  • 2 0
 It's good content for thier FMD documentary they are filming. Since the boys can't carry the team without Tahnee.
  • 68 0
 Really!? Were UCI not present when Kine Haugom crashed in practice and seperated her shoulder? UCI is so archaic and full of c*nts
  • 9 0
 Not only that, but Kine has basically been on her own with only her Mom supporting her for the last two years. Not exactly a huge support from her federation to be filling out paperwork while she is in hospital
  • 62 3
 Mountain Biking really needs to break free of the UCI. They take the money and never give good value back. Aired on Discovery channel next year, oooh I can’t wait. Bring on the Red Bull series?
  • 1 4
 Not undress you want the sort to fall apart. Many nations only get funding for riders of the events are uci recognised
  • 8 1
 @chrismac70: Everyone assumes a Red Bull series wouldn't get UCI sanctioned, but the UCI sanctioned DH1 when Freecaster were looking at setting it up as a rival series.
  • 2 0
 I believe more and more that DH/Enduro don't need the UCI to function and would do better. Unfortunately, most funding from each countries governments require a UCI recognised federation to deal with. That's why in Australia all the cycling disciplines were all pulled into one federation just recently. At the elite level you could probably waive off the funding and just go with corporate sponsorship to run the sport with a separate modern progressive managing body but local level grass roots racing needs government dollars to keep going. Unless there was a mechanism to feed the sponsorship dollars down to the local level to ensure there was organised racing and a pathway for people in the sport. We are in a big change phase now, which is a nervous time because DH/Enduro has got a lot of momentum around the globe currently
  • 61 2
 Can we fine the UCI for "failing to present decency and ethics".
  • 58 0
 A single fine is likely more than the winner's prize money
  • 24 0
 Truth! Particularly when it comes to DH payouts. UCI may or may not be justified in fineing the riders for taking a spot and not showing up, but the optics are terrible. We all bash discovery for the garbage broadcasting company they are but UCI sold the rights to them. Time for a new MTB specific organization. All the UCI cares about is the Tour anyway.
  • 38 1
 Utter Cunts Inc.
  • 15 1
 I didn't put that star there. I wrote cunts.
  • 15 0
 @JiminOz: Pinkbike agreed with your sentiments so much they removed the star.
  • 31 1
 “An injury or sickness shall be recognised as an act of God only if the rider is declared incapable of taking the start by the UCI official doctor.”

Really? f*cking get a life UCI and stop trying to play god.
  • 9 0
 The fine is probably cheaper than the UCI doctor so if you're injured you're better of being fined than paying their doctor. Either way, if a rider gets injured, the UCI makes money. That's their business model.
  • 2 0
 So the UCI through their doctor decides which injury is an act of God? Do they use Catholic or Protestant priests doctors? Does he (because the Church in all its modern world views doesn't allow women priests) contact the pope when in doubt?
  • 3 0
 @Mac1987: Pretty sure it was a typo. It was meant to say Goat, not God. If you can't attend because of Greg Minnaar, you won't be fined.
  • 29 0
 Luca Thurlow broken collarbone doesn’t count as an injury? Guy was gutted to not be there!! Does he have to travel to Switzerland to have a UCI doctor look at it? This is messed up…
  • 61 0
 Thanks mate absolutely gutted hopefully not gonna get fined as we informed British cycling immediately after it happened at least 4 days before final sign on
  • 1 0
 @LucaThurlow: tu rob is gonna go sort them for you
  • 2 0
 They probably decided it wasn't an act of God, but a regular accident...
  • 2 0
 @LucaThurlow: Hope you manage to get it sorted with UCI
  • 32 5
 I always wondered why Gwin thanks God
  • 28 2
 Seriously, get fucked.
  • 19 1
 The UCI is such garbage. A lot of these longstanding organizations are more about power & politics than the spirit of the sport. It'd be awesome to see a modern organization form to challenge the UCI and force some change. I hope the rider's union can help combat some of the BS.
  • 14 2
 I can't believe you're saying that. The UCI, IOC and FIFA would never do anything untoward, they're solely there for people who love sports. This is sarcasm for those who aren't sure.
  • 1 1
 @commental: throw mx sports in the same ring too
  • 18 0
 f*ck this! Kine Haugom, at the top of the list here, suffered a huge crash in practice, which saw her in hospital. Giving her a fine on top of her being devasted for not being able to race is just plain evil.

On top of this, she is a junior who is not supported, not even by the Norwegian cycling federation, and had to finance her whole race privately.

"An injury or sickness shall be recognised as an act of God only if the rider is declared incapable of taking the start by the UCI official doctor."
-I think being in hospital should automatically qualify.
  • 16 0
 So the fine for not showing up to the line is multiple times greater than those who start ahead of the line?

- Starting with your wheel in front of the start line = 100 chf fine

- Wearing the wrong clothing on the podium = 500 chf fine

- Not showing up to the start line = 500-5000 chf fine

So the UCI thinks this is 10x more egregious than wearing incorrect clothing on the podium. And 50x more egregious than getting an unfair advantage against other competitors (e.g. cheating...aka wheel ahead of the line).

Priorities...
  • 1 0
 They don't care about fair competition. They care about sponsorship and viewing rights income. Cheating makes for lively debate and interesting TV. Not showing up hurts their income.
  • 14 0
 This just proves that the UCI needs to be ditched.Surely the newly formed riders union,manufacturers ,sponsers and especialy Redbull can get together and sort something out ? At least have some kind of schedule that allows privateers a chance to compete,rules that are fit for the majority of participants,the UCI is just another outdated old boys club, out to suck as much money out of the sport as possible,a bunch of absolute fxxkwits.
  • 17 1
 rip off level: UCI.
  • 13 1
 Madness; Tahnee was never racing, so I'm not sure why she was on the entry list. That's surely on Cycling UK??
  • 10 0
 Fines that are greater than the prize money for getting in the Elite top three at this race - nuts.
  • 15 3
 Fuck the UCI
  • 1 0
 Literally the same post as the top one. However, you're still right so I upvoted you anyway, and because it can't be said often enough :

F*ck the UCI
  • 11 0
 ...did someone say riders Union
  • 8 0
 I know tuhoto got injured early on in practice and didn’t start, Finn got hurt last practice and didn’t start for finals, did Finn go to the uci doctor and tuhoto didn’t?
  • 5 0
 Maybe Specialized as a team are more savvy when it comes to the rules and made a point of making sure the correct protocols were followed. But you would think the UCI has some leeway and can look at each case. If a rider is obviously injured or sick it shouldn't matter which Doctor they go to.
  • 6 0
 Wyn Masters was there and could have taken his slot.......had he known.
  • 7 0
 Wait, by being on the national team roster but not completing, did these riders take a spot that could otherwise be used by another racer from their country? If that's the case then the fines make some sense. Anyone know?
  • 18 1
 Some were hurt in practice, Tahnee at least didn’t know if she could or could not ride. The Ukrainians… they get the honor of being named to the team at least. But I think something is going on which prevented them from attending, can’t quite put my finger on it though.
  • 6 1
 @pisgahgnar: Hurt in practice and fined? ffs!
  • 6 1
 @kcy4130: But they didn’t pay the bribe to the UCI doctor!

And yea, I know Tuhoto was hurt during at least. Others like Oisin and Tahnee had longer term injuries that they decided not to push it. Oisin was even in practice but dropped out.
  • 7 0
 A group that presented a constantly moving target when it came to Covid, cancelling, rescheduling, moving, transferring, requiring this and now requiring that...has the balls to then pull this crap...ludicrous.
  • 10 1
 I did not realize the UCI was an actual leech.
  • 3 0
 Should be via doctor not uci doctor and a riders best interest is the final call on racing. These guys all ride on another level of racing and it’s their lives on the line of something is hurting, or feeling off, it’s their choice.
ALSO who has our backs when is comes to the lack of live or even replay footage from this event
  • 6 0
 wyn must have an enormous hangover…sooo much looking forward for THIS wyntv
  • 11 0
 i guess he has to do a lot of double checking to cut out compromising footage... in the end, we'll get a 26 second clip of him, telling that the footage of that night was lost due to an "act of god".
  • 6 1
 Just to be clear British Cycling were informed 10 days in advance of the event that Luca Thurlow would be absent from the event as he broke his collar bone prior to the race.
  • 4 0
 So, why exactly did British Cycling fail to report that to the UCI?
  • 14 0
 @FuzzyL: Probably because they're equally as inept and self serving as the UCI.
  • 3 0
 @FuzzyL: no idea, but I have the messages to BC lead and proof of xrays and hospital notes here
  • 1 0
 Spot on! The guy would have loved to been racing! Already gutted about the injury and missing Worlds and now this BS.
  • 6 0
 Hear me out guys!! “Downhill World Series” I even get butterflies in my stomach when I say it
  • 7 1
 Time for the Pinkbike comment section to start its own version of the UCI, but like way cooler, with hookers and blow.
  • 1 2
 Comment gold
  • 2 0
 That's implying the UCI isn't already doing the hookers and blow thing with the money leached from the MTB side.
  • 7 1
 And what are they gonna do if they don't pay?
  • 22 1
 God will punish them for their sins.
  • 17 15
 I like how easy it is to say "F*** the UCI" without presenting any form of counterproposal.

As soon as there is a substantial amount of money at stake (and careers of riders and everyone around them), you need a form of "legal framework" to help decide what is or isn't correct. This is true at a small scale (e.g. our cycling bubble), but also at bigger scale (think of a company investing in building a factory in a foreign country. You want to have the laws in place that protect your investment there).

Proposing a "Red Bull Series" is somewhere between childish and naïve. Does anyone think they wouldn't end up with a similar set of rules as soon as the stakes are high enough? As soon as there is money, you are forced to come up with rules. If I sponsor a trade team, I'd better now what races I can expect my team to be allowed to enter so I know what exposure I get in return.

So for the particular case at hand, idea behind the rule is easy:

1.) Don't take up one of the limited spots for entering the world champs if you know you wouldn't be able to race
2.) If you have an injury, see the UCI official doctor

It always a bit shocking when the overwhelming number of comments shows zero managerial/contractual/legal experience.
  • 6 1
 Why is it naive when the UCI sanctioned DH1 when Freecaster proposed it?
  • 1 0
 @commental: Which version of "sanctioned" are you using here? (I'm unfamiliar with the history of this)
  • 1 0
 @pmhobson: Allowed.
dirtmountainbike.com/features/interviews/exclusive-dh1-interview-raymond-freecaster
www.pinkbike.com/news/DH1-Canceled-Redbull-Media-House-Tackles-World-Cups.html
  • 1 0
 @commental: Thanks. Contronyms are...funny
  • 5 0
 so @constantly-broken apparently the UCI is run by Trail Nazis.

probably all the XC kids that got bullied growing up
  • 5 0
 All rules apply unless you name is Lance Armstrong or you make a one million dollar donation or both.
  • 6 1
 Time for the UCI to die ... come on Red bull start your own series... now is the time
  • 2 6
flag Wilkomacc (Aug 29, 2022 at 6:43) (Below Threshold)
 All the top riders and teams have enough money between them to set up a new series.
But they don’t?
How many are happy to take money out of the sport and put nothing back in??
Forget red bull, we don’t need those kinds of sponsors in the sport
  • 3 1
 Truth lies somewhere in the middle here. I'm sure a few of the fines will be dropped via proper appeal channels. But the UCI has to follow protocol and issue the initial violators list so that the riders can begin the process. The official at the start gate isn't up there taking absentee slips from the parents. This isn't pre-school.
  • 2 0
 So this entire thread appears to miss a pretty simple point

World Champs.... riders are entered by their national federations. These federations will have appointed team managers. It will be the team manager that will be the point of contact with race officials (and having a rider withdrawn from the start list). I'd be surprised if anyone representing UCI would be personally following up with riders?

So I would imagine in all these cases, that either...

(a) The rider hasn't informed the team manager they won't be starting. Or...
(b) The team manager hasn't followed the process required

So while I'm no fan of the UCI. These fines surely come as a result of managers and/or riders not following procedures
  • 2 0
 Wtf?! It takes so much time, effort and money to get to world champs! Having an injury or concussion is devastating enough then slapping a fine on a rider?! Thats like chucking salt on a wound! Wtf UCI?! Can please unite and create UniMTB - racing by the riders for the riders. Rod Warner, redbull and looking after the racer. Concussion= medic team - not here's a-fine-because-I-know-you-worked-ur-ass-off-to-be-here.
  • 4 0
 Because pro mountain bikers are known for making plenty of money to pay for things like fines....
  • 8 3
 So you can‘t race if you‘re an atheist?
  • 8 1
 Rather, an atheist cannot escape the fine.
  • 2 0
 So "Federations shall announce the names of the riders who are to take the start" and then if the rider not shows up it mean a fine for the rider, not for the federation which made the announcement?
  • 5 2
 f*ck the uci.


Don’t worry pinkbike editors will write a piece on why the uci isn’t that bad for mtb gravity based sports
  • 3 0
 Why a money fine though? - proves they are greedy. If they really need to do this why don't they penalize them by deducting points or something.
  • 4 0
 Sounds like ignorance of some UCI rule many national teams didn't know about or understand.
  • 11 5
 god isn't real
  • 3 0
 the UCI is gods messenger then? as they are the only ones who can decide what an act of god is! Also WTF has god got to do with racing anyway! Strange wording!
  • 2 0
 so is the UCI just now starting to enforce these rules and fining riders? i feel like we've been hearing more about fines this season than in past seasons. or have they always been doing it and it just went unreported?
  • 1 0
 I like to know did the listed riders go to SIGN ON AND PICK RACE NUMBERS UP?

As to me if you sign on and pick race number up you are there and should be at the start line/time, unless sickness/crash (act of god) etc stops them and yes they should inform the organizer.

IF the did NOT sign on and pick numbers up, then for what ever reason they not racing and to fine them is bang out of order IMO.

The only thing I can see worlds been diff is that all "Team" numbers prob be in one envelope which can be picked/signed for by team manager/mech/helper.
  • 1 0
 Even if you pick up a board (for which your federation has paid already), why should you be fined for not starting? it's not like there is any extra maintenance cost involved for the UCI? They just mark you as DNS and continue on as normal.
  • 1 0
 i dont really follow what the UCI bring to the table.
I was dissapointed when the EWS signed up to their "services". A missed opportunity to have a section of the sport demonstrating that they dont need their approval or validation.

sack them off, and leave them to meddle in road cycling.
  • 2 0
 Wait till the riders have a union , and we as the fans should support them in there efforts . To long the UCI have bullied the riders
  • 3 0
 Should these cyclists federation be handling these matters? In terms of alerting the UCI of their non starts?
  • 1 0
 I think I’ll
Sue the UCI for not allowing me to watch in the USA. That’s how dumb these fines are. SUCK IT @uci and while I’m at it SUCK IT @usacycling as well. #moneylaunderingorganizations
  • 1 0
 I see, after allowing spinning wheels of death as brakes, they had to do something to regain their reputation as archaic a-holes. Well played. Is there a major sports organization that isn't run by money grabbing mobsters?
  • 1 0
 Maybe everyone should start sending invoices for fines to the UCI for all the things THEY fail to do. That would be a looooooooong list of shit.
  • 7 3
 F*CK the UCI
  • 2 3
 I interpreted this as, o = Fail to present to the start.

Looking at that list, I see this applies to Callaghan, Oisin, who has the "o" before his name. What then, did the other 13 get fines for, was my immediate thought?

Surely I can't be the only one who read it that way initially?
  • 2 2
 Oisín O Callaghan.

They've just put the second name first, which is why he has O in front.

As far as I know they were all fined for not racing.


He pulled out on day 1 with a persistent wrist injury. So it was known he wasn't going to race, another swiss rider ended up a separated shoulder after practice. It appears to me that the UCI fines you for getting injured.
  • 1 0
 @agrohardtail: "It appears to me that the UCI fines you for getting injured." at the event you already paid to be at...
  • 4 1
 What do the UCI & Putin have in common.., quite a lot it seems
  • 3 0
 Who cares. Anyone know what happened to Finn?
  • 2 0
 Crashed in practice - wasnt sure he was going to start - but notably did manage to get signed off to not start by the UCI. Clearly someone knew the rules!
  • 6 0
 @paulskibum: Realistically, being on a top team, his "Team" knew the rules.
As a privateer this rule was never stated or obvious to me at the few WC's I raced back in the day.

Just another way for the UCI to flex some power.
  • 1 0
 @learmiller: Possible rules have changed, like you'd imagine YT would have retained some knowledge from Gwins days at the team. Oisín (YT) got fined and he pulled out on day 1
  • 1 0
 There are over 4000 gods worshipped world wide. Any way they can clarify which one? They act differently, so this is important
  • 3 0
 Well, that's Fine.
  • 2 0
 The UCI trying to kill mtb since the 90’s
  • 2 0
 When the prize money is the same as the fine…
  • 2 1
 God damn the uci do be trying to be extra unlikeable these days. Fuck outta here with that petty bullshit !
  • 2 0
 This is almost as enraging as the geo restricted broadcast.
  • 1 0
 Almost... but not quite.

I still haven't been able to watch the Men's DH Frown
  • 6 3
 Fuck the UCI
  • 2 1
 The UCI has surely run its course by now. It's time to fuck off and let people who enjoy cycling start organising events
  • 2 0
 “Cant find exact match”

Continues to show exact match
  • 3 5
 I find it funny that everyone blames the UCI although those rules have been there and clear all along. Anybody that suggests a new series/union/championship would help is a bit naïve because all those would need to be "watched over" by some form of sanctioning organization. What I personally find sad is federations sending riders over that are clearly not able to race and then having people complain when said rider can't make the start and gets fined... Like it costs money to send people over that are not even going to race.
  • 2 0
 ^ This. Needs 20,000 up votes
  • 2 0
 I thought the uproar was over them fining riders that were injured in practice. As in the team was tending to a downed rider and maybe getting the downed rider reported to the UCI may have been lower priority.
  • 1 0
 @cougar797: Well they did that too. Like Oisín and Kina pulled out due to injuries picked up in practice. Luca didn't even travel due to an injury, apparently he told BC that he couldn't make it before final sign on. How these riders are fined is beyond stupid.

I don't know why every one here didn't make the start. If some are like as @tgr9 said and weren't up to the standard and decided to not race, the yes, fine the body that sent them

As for fining riders that are injured is beyond a joke
  • 1 0
 I think it’s more the UCI has made bad decisions in the past and now they just come under fire for any reason . But fining people for not racing makes no sense . The UCI is not losing money by these people not racing . In fact they made money of entry fees . You are correct that it costs money to go and race , and not every country pays for there athletes to participate. Many of these people pay a large portion of there expenses .
  • 2 0
 I thought xc riders got a fine cause they took the lift..
  • 2 0
 Why are they getting fined?
  • 2 0
 Redbull need to announce their DH series for next year!
  • 1 0
 Its called Crankworx
  • 1 0
 @SonofBovril: Is that hosted by Redbull? Or will be?
  • 1 0
 how could a Ukrainian rider be fined? he rides for the freedom of all races
  • 1 0
 UCI thieving bastards , typical jobs for the boys mentality , just like local government & planning bell ends..!
  • 1 0
 "$523 to $5174" fine for not showing at the start, yet their prize money is so small?
  • 5 3
 hey uci, sck m d
  • 2 0
 this is so wrong..
  • 1 0
 UCI isn't being inclusive to atheists.
  • 1 0
 LoL if Seagrave got fines why Finn did not? he didnt start eather...
  • 1 0
 Just shows how f*cked up & ridiculous the UCI is.
  • 1 0
 Red Bull, please save DH!
  • 2 4
 I feel a ban would be more sufficient? Like no worlds the following year for those riders, with the possibility to appeal? This seems quite dumb.
  • 1 0
 Fuck the UCI!
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