Riders must respect the instructions given by the Commissaires who will supervise the relay zone and assign the start lanes. 

A false start consists of at least one rider who takes the relay before the relevant teammate crosses the relay line as per Article 2.5.014. 

A false start will be sanctioned according to the table of sanctions in Article 2.12.007. 

(article introduced on 1.01.19; text modified on 1.07.19). 

## Timekeeping and classification 

2.5.012 (N) Timekeeping shall be conducted at several points along the distance, so distributed as to ensure that riders and spectators alike be continually informed of the progress of the race. 

2.5.013 Finishing times shall be taken to the nearest one-tenth of a second at least. 

For UCI WorldTour events and world championships, times shall be taken and communicated to the nearest one-hundredth of a second. 

(text modified on 1.01.17). 

2.5.014 The specific regulations for the event shall specify on which rider of a team crossing the finishing line the classification of teams will be timed for the finish. 

In UCI Women’s WorldTour team time trials the time shall be taken on the fourth rider. 

The relay and start of the women riders will be given by the second male rider crossing the finish line. The overall finishing time will be taken on the second female rider at the world championships. 

For mixed team relay the classification of teams will be the continuous time of both genders. 

If there is a mechanical malfunction of the relay system provided by the race organisation that leads to an early or late start, the commissaires’ panel may adjust the final results to take into account the actual times recorded. 

(text modified on 1.01.06; 1.07.12; 1.01.19; 1.07.19). 

## Team conduct during the race 

2.5.015 If a team is caught, it may neither lead, nor take advantage of riding in the slipstream of the team that catches it. This clause shall equally apply to riders that drop behind. A rider that has dropped behind may not join another team, nor receive or provide assistance. 

2.5.016 A team, upon catching another, shall leave a lateral gap of at least 2 metres between them. 

In mixed relay events, teams that take their relay at the same time must respect the lateral gap of 2 metres between them. 

After 1 km, the team caught shall ride at least 25 m away from the other. 

