Competitors in Friday’s thirteenth stage of the Tour de France, from Vittel to Colmar, will be permitted to wear earpieces.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) has revoked its earlier decision to forbid cyclists using the earpieces to remain in radio communication with their team leaders, who travel behind the competitors in cars.

The UCI enforced the ban on Tuesday, and intended to enforce it tomorrow, in an attempt to determine whether radio communication between cyclists and team leaders was really necessary. However, the move so enraged the cyclists that they rode only the last 40 kilometres of Tuesday’s stage at high speed.
 
The UCI intends to continue its investigation into the usefulness of such communications during competitions.

Tour de France competitors by Lüfkens (flickr)