The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has taken a new step in its plan to strengthen cyclist safety in competition. The Tour de Romandie, in Switzerland, will serve as a testing ground for a GPS safety tracking system, which will be implemented during the Women’s WorldTour edition from August 15 to 17. With this initiative, the sport’s governing body aims to optimize the technology and establish protocols that allow real-time monitoring of the race.

This new system is designed to provide immediate data to race control, medical teams, and commissaires, enabling a quick response in the event of incidents. The measure comes in a context marked by concerns over safety, following several serious and fatal accidents in recent years, which have highlighted the need to modernize and speed up assistance mechanisms during competitions.

GPS as a tool to prevent tragedies

The push by the UCI toward technological innovation responds to recent events that have shaken professional cycling. One of the most remembered cases is that of young Swiss rider Muriel Furrer, 18, who lost her life after an accident in the junior women’s road race in Zurich. With no witnesses and a rescue that took at least 90 minutes, her death sparked strong criticism of the organization, especially for the lack of race radios and other key safety elements. Spanish cyclist Juan Ayuso described the delay in medical attention as “a disgrace” and stressed that such situations should never happen again.

More recently, young Italian Samuele Privitera, 19, died after an accident in the first stage of the Tour de France. These events prompted the UCI to announce in June a series of regulatory changes, developed with the recommendations of the independent body SafeR and through consultations with riders, teams, and organizers. The measures include modifications to helmets and handlebars, and the authorization for one rider per team to use a GPS tracking device. The experience in the Tour de Romandie will serve as the basis for its large-scale application at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, where all participants will carry this system.