Jan-Willem van Schip disqualified from Tour of Holland over seatpost dispute

Dutch rider Jan-Willem van Schip (Parkhotel Valkenburg) has been disqualified from the NIBC Tour of Holland following stage 1 for riding with a seatpost that allegedly violates UCI regulations.

"His seatpost allegedly does not meet UCI requirements, but he has been riding with one for several years and has documentation that it is permitted," said Parkhotel Valkenburg team manager Paul Tabak in a statement to WielerFlits, with the team’s sports director Chris de Jonge also fined 500 Swiss francs over the equipment violation.

According to Tabak, the decision didn't come from local commissaires but directly from UCI headquarters in Switzerland. 

"The UCI commissaires in the NIBC Tour of Holland did not disqualify Jan-Willem. They were overruled by Switzerland. The UCI said they had to disqualify Van Schip because he was riding with an illegal seatpost."

Parkhotel Valkenburg will challenge the decision ahead of stage 2’s individual time trial in Etten-Leur.

"It's very simple: everything is registered with the UCI. The wheels, your bike, your handlebars, everything. So if Jan-Willem rides with this seatpost – and he's been racing with it for several years – then he has documentation," Tabak explained.

The specifics of the violation remain unclear, though Tabak revealed the UCI's complaint relates to the orientation of the component. "The UCI's argument is that all the Cervélos we ride have straight seatposts. And this one is upside down, which the federation says isn't allowed."

This isn't Van Schip's first equipment-related controversy, as somewhat of a trailblazer when it comes to innovation in the sport as an accomplished track star alongside his road career. 

"Last year, he was also disqualified from a race the day after the Heistse Pijl, after using the Toot Engineering Ashaa RR Aero handlebar," said Tabak. "To this day, we're still protesting about it, because we still haven't received a response from the UCI."

Tabak expressed frustration with the ongoing equipment issues stating, "There's always trouble about Jan-Willem's handlebars. Every time, we show the approved documentation. Together with Jan-Willem and a juror, we've already written a letter about it to show what it's all about. Hopefully, that will now help to reverse the disqualification."

After consulting Van Schip's registration, Tabak claims the UCI didn't mention any seatpost restrictions. "Show the UCI that the regulations say this seatpost isn't allowed. The race jury told me they didn't disqualify Jan-Willem because he's been riding with it like this for several years."