New dispute over disc brakes - cycling union threatens legal action against UCI

Was there an injury in a professional race caused by a disc brake? At the Abu Dhabi Tour, Sky pro Owain Doull noticed a cut on his foot after a mass crash and blamed it on Marcel Kittel's disc brake (bike see photo). TV footage cannot substantiate this assumption - investigations are currently underway.

But emotions are running high. In a press release, the riders' union CPA once again accused the UCI of ignoring the safety of the riders. For the first time, the CPA is also threatening legal action. In particular, it is calling for the brake disc to be covered to prevent physical contact.

"If this does not happen, the CPA will take all necessary legal action to protect the health and safety of its members," reads a press release. The CPA goes on to refer to health and safety laws.

The sports industry association WFSGI responded with a statement. In it, it refers to two expert reports that contradict an injury to rider Francisco Ventoso caused by the new braking technology at Paris-Roubaix 2016. This case had caused the disc brake tests to be stopped, as Ventoso attributed his injuries to the brake disc. In a detailed medical report, however, the forensic pathologist Prof. Ulrich Zollinger, MD, ruled that an injury caused by a disc brake was very unlikely. He rather suspects an injury caused by the chainring. The expert opinion by Prof Zollinger is available here (Attention the PDF document contains bloody accident photos).

The second report, which examines the possibility of injuries caused by disc brakes in cycling races, comes from the Engineering and appraisal office of Dirk Zedler and is here to find.

The investigation into the accident at the Abu Dhabi Tour is still ongoing.