Matteo Tolentin has alleged that his fellow professional riders were not involved in the decision-making process that led to the controversial banning of both the "super tuck" and "forearms on the aerobars" positions as part of a UCI initiative to improve rider safety in racing, a decision that his fellow professional riders clarified and moved to deny claims that they were not informed or involved.

Trentin also called for riders to cooperate and work together.

Trentin, who along with Philippe Gilbert represented the riders at a series of UCI stakeholder meetings on rider safety this winter, said that over 800 professional riders were notified in November and December about the possible changes implemented earlier this month. Riders were also given the opportunity to download information via telegram. However, fewer than 20 riders opened the e-mail and downloaded the document describing the possible rule changes.

"I can't say that nobody was informed this time," a disappointed Trentin told Cycling News.

"Unfortunately, they need to check their email and download the new rules. It's easy to tweet that they weren't informed, but I can tell you that the email was sent to over 800 riders and only 16 of them downloaded the information. When the proposal was made, there were multiple chances if someone wanted to object, but there was little response.

"I am quite upset with what is being said now. In the past, one could say that communication was not at its best, that the riders were not informed, but not this time. This time everything was clear

"I don't know who they want to blame, but it can't be me, Phil [Gilbert], or the CPA. Not this time. Maybe the riders should spend less time on TikTok and be more active in making the workplace a safer place."

While the "Super Tack" and aero-position bans have generated the most buzz and controversy, the UCI is also working on a new standardization of race barriers that will come into effect in 2021, a temporary solution until then, new rules for barriers in 2022, the The UCI pushed through a series of new regulations aimed at improving rider and race safety, including the appointment of a safety officer and several other new rules.

The improvements began after the tragic crash that left Fabio Jacobsen fighting for his life in the hospital at the Tour de Pollogne.

Social media was flooded with discussions and criticism of the UCI regarding tuck and forearm position. But Trentin, who has more than a decade of WorldTour experience and spends his free time only listening to the criticisms of some of his peers, called on the sport and its critics to look at the bigger picture surrounding the changes.

"People need to look at things from a bigger perspective," he said.

"These were one or two rules, part of a larger package; it looks like only two changes were passed, but they weren't.

"Everyone either agreed or disagreed, and I don't see any major problems. But if you take the time to look at the regulations you will see that there are plans for the next few years, including a new design of barriers. Also, there are many rules, such as how vehicles should pass the peloton.

"People need to look at the big picture. If you disagree with the rules regarding the position of the Super Tac, I have nothing against it, but these rules were put in place to make the sport safer.

"In many ways we are starting from scratch," Trencin added. [If you look at ice skating, for example, they have a huge book of safety rules. Starting from scratch is always difficult. "

The "super tuck" position has gained attention in recent years thanks to its distinctive looks and the fact that famous players use it on the big stage.

Although there is no direct evidence that it increases the risk of crashes, Trentin has noticed a dangerous trend in the peloton. His argument is that the UCI and CPA should be commended for being proactive rather than waiting for a major crash before deciding on new regulations.

"I was present at the General Assembly when this tack position was discussed. I can personally say that it is not that dangerous if done properly, but the problem is that the players in the group, in the middle of the group, are doing it, and that is not safe at all."

"More and more riders are doing it even though they are just sitting in the wheels. We riders raised this issue and the topic came up at the next meeting, which led to the ban."

"We got a lot of calls from coaches saying that because of our example, there are more young kids doing this. We are talking about riders under the age of 15, and they are copying us. I would rather see us teach the kids how to descend safely and ban tack for them first and then phase it out towards the pros. The problem with banning it at the front of the race or when there's only one rider is that it's impossible to patrol; there's no drone watching who's doing it in 25th position. That's why they ban it."

Despite the frustration, Trentin sincerely believes that although the situation is not perfect, the new framework and regulations will create a base for further improvements around rider safety.

When asked if some of the criticism could simply be attributed to the fact that many riders do not feel that the CPA truly represents them, Trentin replied: "It's possible, but I don't think that's the case here. All they had to do was open an email or talk to someone involved in the process."

The emergence of a rider union, a separate and potentially competing agency to the CPA, could change the fragile harmony, but Trentin wants to see greater cooperation between all organizations, and cooperation is one of the most important aspects.

"I think the most important thing is not to fight between two competing systems. There could be a cooperative relationship to work for the riders in the best way possible. If there are two different organizations and they both come to the table and have a say, that's fine too, if some people don't feel represented by the CPA, but they feel represented by the new union, that's fine too.

"If anyone wants to object, all they have to do is scroll down to page 24 of the proposal and then contact us. We are taking our own time to make this sport as safe as possible. I think riders need to be on their toes at all times, so if you have a suggestion and it doesn't work, we need to stand up and say so. We can only do that together."