Cycling’s governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), has enacted new rules for 2026, ushering in sweeping changes that affect both equipment restrictions, as well as race rankings and additions to the prohibitive substances list.
Here’s a break down of the changes:
Helmets
The UCI has made a distinction between road and time trial helmets for mass start races. Road helmets must meet specific criteria, including visible inlet vents, no ear coverage and no visor, while time trial helmets are no longer be allowed in road races.
Handlebars
The UCI has also standardize handlebar setups in road and cyclocross races, wherein bars must be at least 400 mm wide measured outside to outside, flare is limited to 65 mm from the inside of the flats to the outside of the drops and lever positioning is capped with a maximum of 10 degrees of inward tilt, with at least 280 mm between the inner edges of the brake levers.
Forks
The UCI has limited maximum internal width limits for the fork legs and seatstays on road bikes. The maximum distance between the inside edges of the fork legs is 115 mm, while the inside edges of the seatstays can’t be any wider than 145 mm.
The maximum depth for wheels in mass start races has been capped at 65 mm.
The top three ProTour teams from the previous season’s ranking will receive automatic invitations to all UCI WorldTour stage races in 2026, including Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana, while race organizers will still keep two wildcard slots.
The UCI has introduced minimum requirements for barriers, including dimensions and how barriers are connected to each other and secured to the road, requiring them to be strong enough to withstand the impact of a crash.
Additions to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Prohibited List and Monitoring Program
The UCI has officially added the use of carbon monoxide as a performance-enhancing method to its prohibited list for 2026, while the use of weight-loss drugs such as Semaglutide and Tirzepatide (GLP-1 agonists) are being monitored alongside narcotics such as codeine and hydrocodone and stimulants like caffeine.
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