‘We need to understand pro cycling has changed’ – Matteo Trentin insists rider safety goes beyond gear restrictions

As riders reveal their 2025 goals and talk about their hopes and ambitions, safety is again a hot topic and sparking debate. Nobody wants to suffer serious injury nor see a repeat of the major crashes that involved Wout Van Aert at Dwars door Vlaanderen or Remco Evenepoel, Jonas Vingegaard and others at Itzulia Basque Country in 2024.

Last week Van Aert suggested that gear restrictions could be a way to reduce speeds in the peloton by making it more difficult for riders to move up on fast descents. Some of the most renowned equipment specialists in the sport have shunned that idea but Chris Froome suggested limiting the progression of technology to help improve safety.