UCI's Last-Minute Ban on Ekoi Pedals Sends Riders Scrambling for Shoes

The UCI banned the use of new Ekoi PW8 pedals by the Nice Métropole Côte d’Azur team just an hour before the start of Stage 2 of Étoile de Bessèges, forcing riders to scramble for replacement shoes at the last minute. The team had used the prototypes in Stage 1, but the UCI informed them that the authorization for their use had not been validated. Riders had to quickly find alternate pedals from other teams and purchase shoes at a pop-up bike store by the start line, as their hotel was too far away for a trip back and forth.