Brexit 90-day rule rings alarm bells for riders

Teams and riders tell James Shrubsall paperwork and permits are hiking costs

- James Shrubsall

There are concerns that Brexit could make things significantly harder – and more expensive – for British cyclists and their teams racing on the Continent.

The final Brexit deal makes no provision for UK residents visiting Europe beyond the standard 90 days in 180 that already applies to non-EU residents who are visiting countries in the Schengen bloc.

That means that British UCI-registered teams, amateurs wanting to spend a racing season in France or Belgium, and even British-based WorldTour riders are all scrambling to come to new arrangements.

“It racks up pretty quickly,” said RibbleWeldtite general manager Tom Timothy. “If you’re doing, say, three races in Belgium, then you’re actually probably there for 10 days – you’ve got the travel days either side, and the day you arrive. And it potentially makes it prohibitive to start doing stuff like international training camps.”

The limit is also a concern for the Rayner Foundation, which offers financial support for young British riders who have scored places with clubs on the Continent.

“Ninety days in 180 isn’t a full season,” said the Foundation’s Joscelin Ryan. “We’re really looking into it now, because we waited and waited for the deal to be done, to see if there was anything in there [for athletes], and there isn’t really.”