The weirdest UCI track rule you’ve probably never heard of

After Carson Mattern finished second in the pursuit, he not only secured a silver medal but also received an unexpected parting gift: a good ole UCI fine.

If you check the results page, you’ll notice a little note specifically for him at the bottom: “Warning: failure to obey commissaire’s instructions [3.9, 7.1-7.4].” While 7.1 and 7.4 are pretty straightforward, 3.9 is a bit of a doozy.

And it involves sunglasses.

When an individual pursuit rider is next in line, they sit in a special chair just beside the starting gates. Their coach is usually there to help them load their bike, and the rider walks around, getting set. However, riders must wait without wearing their visor or sunglasses. Usually, competitors either tilt their helmet up or simply detach the visor. Most aero helmets now have visors that attach with magnets, making it a breeze.

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If you’re wondering why the UCI doesn’t want you covering your peepers at the start, don’t worry—this rule actually makes sense for once. It’s for TV coverage. Since everyone is wearing giant helmets with visors and hiding their faces, they tend to look like robots. But showing their eyes before the start personalizes it. In the old days when cyclists didn’t wear helmets or sunglasses in pro races, you could see their faces more—they were more human, not just one of many clones, for example.

So if you ever find yourself in a pursuit, make sure to unsnap that visor and stick it back as you make your way to the gate, or you may find yourself out a few Swiss Francs!