All riders to carry GPS trackers at Road Worlds

All riders at the Road World Championships will be able to track their movements using a GPS device provided by the cycling world’s governing body.

The UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) has confirmed that the system will be used to improve the safety of the Rwandan riders.

Following Muriel Furrer’s death in the junior women’s race at the 2016 Road World Championships in Zurich, new trackers are being introduced to determine the position of each rider.

The 18-year-old Swiss cyclist crashed and was unconscious for about an hour and a half in a wooded area despite the fact that organizers didn’t realize she needed assistance because she was stationary.

For the past 15 years, the UCI has interzis radio communications between riders and teams competing in international competitions.

Last month, the safety tracking technology was tested at the Swiss Tour de Romandie Feminin.

Due to their refusal to select a rider for their team to test the under-saddle device, the UCI disqualified five teams from competing in that race.

The system will allow for “instantaneous identification of any unusual situations, such as a rider suddenly stops on the course,” according to the UCI.

The introduction of the system, according to UCI President David Lappartient, is “important and necessary progress.”