Should the UCI relax its bike rules?

Simon Smythe reflects on the regulatory inertia that some say is stifling innovation in bike design

The UCI has been busily modernising bike racing, announcing changes for 2019 that include the introduction

of a new ranking system, increasing the number of riders on a WorldTour team, renaming the Pro Conti and Conti divisions, axing the World Championship team time trial to be replaced by a mixed event and reducing the number of wild-card invitations to Grand Tours.

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Simon Smythe

Simon Smythe is a hugely experienced cycling tech writer, who has been writing for Cycling Weekly since 2003. Until recently he was our senior tech writer. In his cycling career Simon has mostly focused on time trialling with a national medal, a few open wins and his club's 30-mile record in his palmares. These days he spends most of his time testing road bikes, or on a tandem doing the school run with his younger son.