Sept 4 (Reuters) - Cycling’s governing body plans to establish rules for real-time tracking of riders and vehicles at professional road races following the death of British rider Finlay Tarling, the International Cycling Union (UCI) said on Friday.
The issue dominated a two-day meeting of the Professional Cycling Council, which began with a tribute to the 19-year-old Tarling, who died following an accident during the eighth stage of the Volta a Portugal on August 14.
Portugal's RTP broadcaster said Tarling was hit by a non-race car driving in the opposite direction.
The UCI said a dedicated tracking system was urgently needed after cycling’s main stakeholder groups failed to produce a joint proposal. It wants the technology to be introduced at UCI WorldTour and Women’s WorldTour events before being extended across professional road cycling.
"Given safety remains an absolute priority, the UCI will therefore establish protocols and a regulatory framework for the use of real-time tracking systems at races," the statement said.
Tracking systems were used in all categories at the 2025 Road World Championships in Kigali and would operate again at this year’s championships in Montreal later this month, the UCI said.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; editing by Clare Fallon)
