UCI bans Oz shoe

The Union Cycliste Internationale says the Crono time trial shoe made by Bont of Australia does not conform with the UCI’s article 1.3.033 which stipulates:

“It is forbidden to wear non-essential items of clothing or items designed to influence the performances of a rider such as reducing air resistance or modifying the body of the rider (compression, stretching, support).

"Items of clothing or equipment may be considered essential where weather conditions make them appropriate for the safety or the health of the rider. In this case, the nature and texture of the clothing or equipment must be clearly and solely justified by the need to protect the rider from bad weather conditions. Discretion in this respect is left to the race commissaires.

"Equipment (helmets, shoes, jerseys, shorts, etc.) worn by the rider may not be adapted to serve any other purpose apart from that of clothing or safety by the addition or incorporation of mechanical or electronic systems which are not approved as technical innovations under article 1.3.004.”

Bont has complained that skinsuits, aero helmets and booty covers would also fall foul of this rule, if the UCI applied its rules consistently.

Bont, in business since 1975, makes high-end off-the-shelf go-faster shoes as well as custom-built racing shoes. 

The Crono is described by the company as the "world’s first time trial specific shoe."

"The technology used in this shoe pushes every known boundary in terms manufacturing processes and aerodynamics," said Bont.

The UCI’s ‘approved by UCI’ stickering program may be extended to clothing, said the UCI last year.

The graphic above was created by Bont and mimics the ‘Approved by UCI’ sticker.