Demi Vollering fined CHF1,000 and docked 25 UCI points after world championship victory
The Dutch rider also received a yellow card for an illegal riding position during her winning ride in Montréal, but retains her rainbow jersey.
Demi Vollering’s rainbow jersey came with an unwelcome addition: a hefty CHF1,000 ($1200USD / 911 GBP) fine, a 25-point deduction in the UCI rankings and a yellow card following her world championship victory in Montréal on Saturday.
The post-race commissaires’ communiqué states that the Dutch rider had been penalised for "using a non-compliant position or point of support on the bicycle" during the women’s elite road race.
The ruling cited article 2.12.007.9 of the UCI regulations, which prohibits riding positions or points of support on the bicycle that breach the rules and pose a danger to the rider or other competitors.
In plain terms, the rule penalises riders for adopting prohibited positions that could compromise control of their bike. Well-known examples include "puppy paws", where riders rest their forearms on the handlebars to reduce wind resistance, and the "super tuck", where they sit on the top tube rather than the saddle. Both are banned in road races. The communiqué did not specify which position Vollering used or when in the race the infraction occurred.
The race results remain unaffected, and while she received a point deduction, her UCI ranking will largely be unaffected. Prior to the World Championships race, the Dutchwoman led the published standings by more than 3,300 points, so the 25-point sanction will only make a minor dent.
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Cycling Weekly's North American Editor, Anne-Marije Rook is old school. She holds a degree in journalism and started out as a newspaper reporter — in print! She can even be seen bringing a pen and notepad to the press conference.
Originally from the Netherlands, she grew up a bike commuter and didn't find bike racing until her early twenties when living in Seattle, Washington. Strengthened by the many miles spent darting around Seattle's hilly streets on a steel single speed, Rook's progression in the sport was a quick one. As she competed at the elite level, her journalism career followed, and soon, she became a full-time cycling journalist. She's now been a journalist for two decades, including 14 years in cycling.
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