What's your role at the TDU?
My role at TDU 2025: this year I have been appointed as Commissaire 2 (or Commissaire 3, as we rotate positions for the different stages of the race) for the WTDU and the Principal of the Commissaire’s Panel (the PCP, better known as The Chief!) for the Men’s Villawood Classic (the East End Criterium).
How did you get this role?
How I got into commissairing: Well, it’s all because of Tracy Johnson! Back in 2019 the WTDU race director was looking for a scribe for the green light vehicle so Tracy asked if I was interested. And well…. here we are! I saw the other side of the race that year, which ignited a new interest and set me on the training pathway to becoming a Commissaire a few months later. The green light vehicle, as the driver, was where I sat for the next 3 TDU’s / SFoC’s, before joining the TDU judging team in 2023 and taking up Commissaire 4 at the MTDU in 2024.
What does your day look like?
DILO: Commissaire 2 (Comm 2) is the Commissaire car at the head of the race, and is responsible for managing any breakaway riders and the vehicles that support the riders in the break (Shimano Neutral Service or the riders team car). If there is no breakaway it can be a pretty straightforward day! When there is a breakaway it’s very important to manage the number of vehicles sitting in the gap and moving them in and out when the timegaps are more than or less than 1 minute. Once the gap to the peloton is over 1 minute, Comm 2 will fall in behind the breakaway riders to monitor the racing for any infringements whilst continuing to manage the vehicles in the gap. Performing timechecks is big part of my day when there is a big break as everyone (commissaires, race radio, teams, race organiser etc) need to know what is happening on the road. At the end of the race we may sometimes move to the finish line to judge the sprint from front on, checking that riders are having a clean sprint. Ultimately our roles as commissaries is to ensure that the right person wins the race.
Once the race is done, I join the other commissaires at the finish line to discuss any infringements. The UCI commissaires will then make their determination on whether there are any penalties to issue to riders, teams, drivers etc. The yellow card system, introduced in full by the UCI this year as part of their strategy to address safety in the race, is in play for the first time at this TDU so it has been very interesting to observe the discussions around safety and the issuing of a yellow card.
After all this, it’s hometime and reviewing the course for tomorrow!
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