Overview

• Five WorldTour women’s squads were excluded from the Tour de Romandie just before Friday’s opening mountain time trial after they declined to self-install GPS units for a safety test.
• Canyon//SRAM-zondacrypto and Visma–Lease a Bike were among the teams issuing nearly identical statements supporting rider safety but rejecting the trial’s one-rider-per-team rule.
• The teams warned that the limited device rollout creates competitive imbalances and raises the risk of crashes if trackers detach.
• Riders including Ricarda Bauernfeind had prepared to start the time trial but were turned away at the line following their squads’ suspension.
• The UCI said the trial follows intensified safety calls after Muriel Furrer’s death and paves the way for GPS tracking at next month’s Road World Championships in Rwanda.