Elite cyclists gear up for new controversial slow-down rules

Professional cycling is getting faster, and cycling's governing body wants to rein in speeds to boost rider safety - but not everyone is happy. By Popi Sotiriadou

- Popi Sotiriadou

Most sports look to support their athletes to become “faster, higher, stronger” — in reference to the Olympic Games’ original motto - so it is perhaps surprising that cycling’s world governing body is trying to slow down elite riders. However, there’s good reason the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) recently announced new rules to slow down riders.

These rules, which apply to elite road and cyclo-cross mass-start events for men and women such as the Tour de France, are aimed at improving rider safety.

What are the new rules?

From 1 August, a new bicycle gearing regulation kicks in. Professional cyclists will only be allowed to use a 54-tooth front chain ring with an 11-tooth rear cog. This replaces the current common setup of 54-10.

To put this into context, a 54-tooth chain ring is the big front gear on a bike and the 11-tooth cog is a small rear gear. Moving to a slightly bigger cog (54-11) makes it harder to hit top speeds: the change from a 54-10 to a 54-11 gear setup could reduce the top speed by about 2.4km/h. Pro riders can reach incredible speeds during descents, sometimes surpassing 130km/h.

Then, from 1 January 2026, handlebars must become wider, increasing from a minimum 350mm to 360mm width (depending on the event) to at least 400mm wide.

The handlebar width affects how a rider controls their bike: narrower bars reduce frontal surface area, making a rider more aerodynamic, which again means a faster ride. This is especially useful in time trials or sprints.

Wider bars offer better stability and control, helping to navigate tight turns, peloton traffic or crosswinds.