Cancellara’s Shiv is a non-starter

The baned Shiv at the Specialized launch

First Alberto Contador’ Specialized Shiv was banned, now Fabian Cancellara’s Shiv has also been declared illegal by the UCI. Team Saxo Bank team manager Bjarne Riis was furious.

“It is very annoying,” said Riis to Sporten.dk. “Fortunately we have not really had a major time trial, but it will not be long before we do at Paris-Nice. The rules are so complex and precise.”

Contador was set to race on the Shiv at the Tour of the Algarve. However, the UCI decided at the last minute to ban the bike.

“It is ridiculous, the bike is durable and safe and they suddenly call it illegal. It is always about these little details.”

The piece in question is the nose cone. Specialized considers the nose cone an important design feature which houses the front brake. The UCI considers the nose cone a fairing, which is in violation of the design rules of a bike.

The nose cone in question. Is it a structural element or a fairing?