Disc Brakes in French FFC sanctioned events - now banned

[Shaftesburybiker]

According to an email flyer I received yesterday from French Cycling Holidays:

"Following the accident suffered by Fran Ventoso in the Paris-Roubaix race, purportedly due to being cut by a disc brake, the French Federation has, in its wisdom, decided to outlaw discs in all FFC sanctioned events.   
This includes sportives like La Marmotte and the Etape du Tour, as both are run under FFC license. We have spoken to ASO and Sportcommunication who run these events, but they have so far not issued a definitive stance; however they have indicated that whilst not in favour of the ruling they may be forced to comply."

If correct, maybe something to bear in mind when choosing which bike to take to certain French events.

[mzjo]

I haven't heard yet what the stance of UFOLEP is on this issue. Since they are the more common authority for sportives, this could be their chance to get a bit ahead of the FFC, being a lot more populist.
I can't see it affecting FFCT events somehow.

[Si S]

No discs, no refunds

http://road.cc/content/news/187838-non-no-refund-l%E2%80%99etape-du-tour-entrant-affected-disc-brake-ban

[giropaul]

A lot of people are forgetting that discs were only ever sanctioned AS A TRIAL for pro- continental and world-tour teams. Therefore no events under UCI rules, or national bodies affiliated to UCI ( FFC, BC etc) that aren't just for these categories have ever sanctioned discs. I appreciate that recent events have concentrated attention on disc brakes, and some people may have got away with them in the past in such events, but they were never allowed. All that has happened is that a trial has been suspended for the pros.

[fuaran]

The trial was only for road racing. It is not relevant for non-competitive events, ie sportives.

How many sportives are actually licensed by FFC? How hard would it be for them to switch to something else? The big brands might realise they are losing lots of customers.

[mzjo]

The trial was only for road racing. It is not relevant for non-competitive events, ie sportives.

How many sportives are actually licensed by FFC? How hard would it be for them to switch to something else? The big brands might realise they are losing lots of customers.

No it doesn't work quite like that; there's a lot of regional political axx-licking back-rubbing involved, particularly in the big events. FFC regional organisation has a lot of political clout when it comes to organising events on closed roads or handling large numbers of participants. UFOLEP doesn't have clout in the organisation of Olympic sports, they have to follow.

Sportives should not be considered as non-competitive; race numbers, individual times and finishing orders, prizes, national season-long competitions and doping make them just as much a race as any road-race. Machine rules might be slacker and less well enforced but that does not make them non-competitive.

I also think that if discs were formally banned from sportives the people most interested would either have a non-disc bike already or would go out and invest, at least as far as the french competitors are concerned.