Cycling: Obree has his bike banned

THE unconventional bike that carried Graeme Obree to a world record and then a world track title is the first victim of a move by the International Cycling Union to stop bike design 'over-riding the human element'. It was announced yesterday in Belgium that the Scot's home-made bike would be suspended from use in international events until a review of bike designs was published in May, writes Robin Nicholl.

'We feel that we can do this because there are no great victories with this bike on the road,' the president of the world governing body, Hein Verbruggen, said. 'We are concerned that the sport is becoming too technically orientated. There is also a risk factor. I saw Obree crash in the Grand Prix Eddy Merckx time trial when he rode his machine.'