How new are disc brakes to the pro peloton? So new that mechnics haven't yet pulled off the safety stickers(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Francisco Ventoso (Movistar) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Switching to disc brakes means a complete overhaul of a team's system(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The Roompot Isaac bike equipped with SRAM HydroR disc brakes and FFWD wheels(Image credit: oompot Oranje Peloton/Cor Vos)
Harald Tiedemann Hansen, the President of the UCI's Equipment Commission, confirmed that the UCI will suspend the use of disc brakes in professional road races after Spaniard Francisco Ventoso suffered a deep gash from running into another rider's rear brake rotor in Paris-Roubaix, Procycling.no reported today. Ventoso vented his anger about disc brakes in a personal letter distributed by his Movistar team.
The Association of Professional Cyclists (CPA) also urged the UCI to bring disc brake use to a halt.
"We have asked to suspend the tests on the disc brakes to the UCI," CPA press officer Laura Mora said. "They will probably suspend it. We have just had the support of the equipment commission for that.
"We have been talking about the risks of the use of the disc brakes since months and we have sent letters in the past to the UCI and the organizers to avoid such risks. Now they are going to finally listen to our voice. We don't want to stop the progress but we want to find common solutions for the introduction of new technologies without risks for the riders and definitely with their involvment."
Tiedemann Hansen confirmed the suspension of the disc brakes, but said that the initiative came from the UCI itself after Ventoso's injury.
After rumours began emerging that Ventoso's injury was due to a disc brake, the Spaniard issued a scathing open letter on Wednesday, saying the gear acted like "giant knives" after he ran into the back of another riders bike during a pile-up.
His letter garnered support on social media from his fellow professional racers, with IAM Cycling's Larry Warbasse saying on Twitter, "We don't need more risks than we already have in professional cycling", and Ryder Hesjedal stating, "I have felt this way since the very beginning! Should have never happened!" about the introduction of disc brakes into the road peloton.
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Ventoso's teammate Rory Sutherland responded to the news of the suspension of disc brake use by asking, "because we really needed an accident to decide this was a bad idea? How many riders wanted discs? Nearly none!"
