At its last meeting on 3 and 4 July of this year, the UCI Management Committee decided, at the proposal of the MTB Commission, to amend the rules, which had until now specified that the maximum wheel diameter for MTBs was 26 inches.
In the past athletes could choose whether to use 24 or 26 inches. From 1 January 2004 they will also have the choice of using wheels with a maximum diameter of 29 inches.
Before this decision was taken the MTB Commission had sought advice from many quarters. After much research and consideration they had decided that none of the arguments put forward against the move would really be harmful to the development of the discipline.
A number of very positive arguments were raised:
- Ever since its creation, and since it became part of UCI and the big family of cycling, MTB has always been a great "laboratory" for the development of cycling equipment. MTB is not governed by strict "Equipment" rules. This philosophy has allowed significant technological advances to be made for all disciplines. UCI has always wished to give free rein to the development of the MTB provided that this does not jeopardise the safety of the athletes or of the discipline itself.
- This openness of the rules in some cases allows MTB practitioners to enjoy incrased safety.
- A number of practitioners (particularly in mass or cross-country events) have already been using MTBs with 29-inch wheels for some years. It would have been unfair, and against the interests of our sport, to exclude them from events in the international MTB calendar. Furthermore, taking into account the very strong development of the Marathon format Cross-country (which we wish to encourage), it is apparent that it would be extremely difficult for the commissaires to police the start lines of events with several thousand entrants.
- The most important thing to bear in mind is that there is no obligation in this rule amendment; the choice of wheel diameter is stll left up to each athlete. A change to the wheel diameters will not alter the nature of MTB events; on the other hand it is important that the choice of cross-country routes remains true to the spirit of the discipline.
UCI Press Office
Texto retirado do site da UCI.
A razão do post aqui.
3 comentários:
boas João, não desesperes, o que interessamesmo é participar, e se o deixarem acho que deves ir e divertir-te.
Acho que o problema mesmo é nosso, pois andamos nisto para nos divertir-mos e esquece-mo-nos de que existem pessoas que apenas andam de bike para competir.
Agora achares que a 29" é melhor que a 26", ta como o outro em que a minha é sempre melhor que a tua :-)
Abraço. Vais a Alvaiazare?
GAF
Olá Gualdino, vou a Alvaiázere sim.
O Teaser era mesmo um pequena provocação, parece que levaram-no muito à letra. Vai passar a ser a"a roda 29 é maior que a 26. O que achas?
Fixe, então encontramo-nos em Alvaiázare, ja fui hoje pagar as inscriçoes a BTTerra, e vamos mais 4 da Maiorga.
Em relação ao nome eu estava mesmo a entrar contigo. Mas sim, não será tão "ofensivo". Mas se fosse eu deixava ficar. ;)
Abraço
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