Steven de Jongh doesn't want anything to do with UCI's anti-earpiece plans: "Earpieces have already saved lives"

Cycling and safety—it's an increasingly heated debate, especially with several serious accidents fresh in memory. The UCI is actively working on new regulations, but many riders and team managers strongly oppose them. A proposed ban on earpieces is meant to make the sport safer, but the athletes themselves are firmly against it. Steven de Jongh also believes earpieces are crucial, particularly when it comes to rider safety.

"It's a terrible idea," De Jongh said on the How To Become A Pro Cyclist podcast hosted by Strava phenomenon Jack Burke. "I can’t imagine them being taken away because earpieces have already saved lives. For instance, when Pedro Horrillo fell into a ravine, his teammates were able to alert the team car. They said, 'I think Horrillo fell at this or that corner. Pay attention.' They stopped and found him. Otherwise, the team car would have just driven past, and he wouldn’t have made it." The crash in Italy, where the Spanish Rabobank rider broke his thighs, knee, and neck, as well as punctured a lung, marked the end of Horrillo’s career.

Earpieces aren’t just crucial for reporting accidents—they're also vital for other safety concerns. "If Skjelmose gets a flat tire and can’t communicate with the car, the jury might miss it. They’re often distracted, and it’s happened before," explained De Jongh, who is the team manager of Lidl-Trek. "Suddenly, he’s in front of your car, and you have to brake hard. That’s incredibly dangerous. We’ve experienced this situation before, and it’s really, really unsafe."

Read more below the photo!

Three Lidl-Trek riders involved in major crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen, including team leader Mads Pedersen

Better equipment rules needed to make cycling safer

De Jongh sees that the sport is becoming increasingly dangerous. "In the past, you had twenty guys fighting for position, but now it’s sixty or eighty. There simply isn’t enough room for everyone to fight for the same spot."

What needs to change? Equipment is a critical factor, according to the 51-year-old Dutchman. "Handlebars are getting smaller and smaller; that’s something we could look into. If you look at mountain biking, they use much wider handlebars for more control. Maybe that’s why we need to set a limit."

Tires also play a role in safety. "Everyone uses different tires from different brands—absolutely everyone. Of course, there are a few brands that are widely used, but still. Those tires all have different levels of grip. If you look at Formula 1, everyone has to use the same tire brand. Within that, they can choose different types of tires. That’s something we might need to consider: having a single brand sponsor all the WorldTour teams and supply the tires."

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