[JaredGraves]

Forcing a rider to wear the national champ jersey is a VERY good reason to not race national champs. Not one team likes the rule.

I think WillCollins hit the nail on the head with his last post.

Also a lot of teams/riders have clothing sponsors where they wear their sponsors stock Jerseys with iron-on logos....eg, Peaty with Royal, Sam Hill with TLD, Minnaar with Alpinestars. How happy do you think those sponsors will be when their riders cant run the jersey they are paid to wear, and have to run the national champ jerseys instead. Sure those companies (Royal ,TLD Alpinestars, some other company) could make up some of their own jerseys in national champ colours for the riders, But it wont be a jersey that is for sale, that the public can buy. Here is Australia, pretty much every grom out there wears whatever kit their favourite rider wears, and that why these companies put money into the sport, to help sell their product.


What I would love to know is what on earth is the UCI's reason behind this rule, even with the armbands? What does the UCI get from making a rider be seen in the national champ jersey? Every single rider would rather represent ALL their sponsors, instead of being seen as a national champion

In many cases for riders that are national champions of smaller countries, riders that maybe aren't consistant top 50 WC riders......the sponsors they have are the ones that pay for them to be at the world Cups, so they can compete and do what they love, If they lose some sponsors due to this rule (which they will) then those riders might not be able to afford to attend world cups at all! Have the UCI even considered that? Isn't the fact that every rider and team is against this rule enough for them to scrap it?

MTB IS NOT ROAD RACING!