First in-race moto rider punished under new UCI convoy rules

An in-race motorbike rider has been handed a punishment by commissaires for the first time under new UCI convoy rules.

The governing body introduced new rules around vehicles in the race convoy in early February 2017 in an aim to further protect riders, and the rules have been enforced for the first time this week.

The incident took place at the Tour of Oman stage two, and was reported in a communique post race that a TV motorbike rider was punished for non-regulation positioning at the finish of the second stage to Al Bustan, which was won by Ben Hermans (BMC Racing).

The rider, names as Jean-Marie Coteggiani, was handed a punishment that banned him from driving a motorbike in the race convoy on stage three of Oman.

The rules, named as the Guidelines for Vehicle Circulation in the Race Convoy by the UCI, were introduced after a number of incidents forced calls for greater protection of riders.

Belgian Wanty Groupe-Gobert rider Antoine Demoitié died last year after an incident involving a motorbike at the one-day Classic Ghent-Wevelgem. While his compatriot Stig Broeckx (Lotto-Soudal) remains in hospital after a being in a coma having collided with a motorbike at the Tour of Belgium last year.

The new, full guidelines were prepared in conjunction with organisations representing teams, cyclists and race organisers, and seek to make it very clear how drivers of vehicles within a race should behave. Many of the new rules concern how race vehicles should move around the race and position themselves at certain points.