After several teams trialled disc brakes in professional events this season, CyclingTips has learned from industry sources that the UCI has set out a timeline for their formal introduction.

The equipment will be permitted in WorldTour races from January 1 2016, with professionals using them from that point.

Amateur riders won’t have long to wait; CyclingTips understands that they will have a green light to use the same brakes from January 1 2017.

The decision was taken by the relevant UCI commission in mid October. That commission decided on a standard of 160mm rotors (front and rear), through axels, and teams will follow these guidelines. These standards will address the issues around neutral support.

In March UCI president Brian Cookson told CyclingTips that the UCI was looking at introducing such brakes on a trial basis.

“I think it is such an important part of what we are trying to do, to look at new technology, to embrace it rather than to resist it. Hence we got the new rules for the hour record and so on,” he explained then.

“We have representatives of the manufacturers, the teams, the riders’ association, the race organisers and so on. I think we are very open to this [the introduction of disc brakes – ed]. We may well look at some experimental test events later this year with a view to perhaps wider introduction next year or the year after that.”

In April the UCI then made this official, announcing that the devices would debut in August.

It said then that all of the teams would have the opportunity to use such brakes at two events of their choosing during August and September. It added that testing would continue at all events on the UCI professional road calendar in 2016.

“If the experience is satisfactory, disc brakes will be officially introduced to the UCI WorldTour in 2017. The aim is to eventually introduce disc brakes to all levels of road cycling.”

According to the latest information, the equipment will be in use sooner than that initial timescale.