There are five riders on the podium after all! In the days leading up to the World Cup opener in Araxà, Brazil, the discussion about the abolition of the five-rider podium was an ongoing topic. After more than 30 years, this mountain bike peculiarity should come to an end, according to rights holder Warner Bros. and the UCI.

The most effective place to protest against the new rule was, of course, the podium ceremony. While Alessandra Keller and Candice Lill, who finished fourth and fifth respectively, waited for the official part and only then stood next to the podium, Lars Forster (4th place) and Nino Schurter (5th) entered the ceremony right from the start and with the obvious approval of the three Specialized riders who had ridden to the finish ahead of them.

This action has now earned the two Swiss riders a fine: The UCI will charge them 800 francs each for the unwanted appearance. Lars Forster reveals: "This action was planned in advance. All the riders were behind it and we didn't harm anyone. Warner Brothers, the rights holders of the World Cup, were the only ones who weren't happy with the campaign."

He could easily cope with the amount of money, explained the St. Gallen native, as the riders had previously agreed to share it. 66 athletes reached the finish, 74 had started. Either way, this results in a manageable amount per purse.

And the protest will continue, promises Lars Forster: "We continue to believe that we will achieve our goal of maintaining the five-man podium. All athletes stand together and with our rider community we have a strong common voice that stands up for the tradition of mountain biking and for the concerns of the athletes and teams 

Thanks to the shared buses, they could continue their protest until Warner Bros. takes their concerns seriously. Let's hope that the fines remain and that the UCI does not increase the penalty in the event of a repeat offense.