Traditionally, pro bike riders had to race on instinct and racing was unpredictable, but for the last two decades race radios have had one of the biggest impacts on racing, with team managers able to closely monitor and control the tactics of their teams to such a degree that many feel the racing has become too predictable.

However, the Tour de France organisers are intent on shaking things up this year. Not only is the route the most dramatic we’ve seen in years, but for stages 10 and 13 race radios will be banned.

Exactly how this will affect proceedings remains to be seen; many riders and team mangers have been vocal in their disgust at the ruling, but many fans are pleased to see the limit on the use of radios as a good thing for the sport.

“With the radios, it’s pretty easy to know everything that’s happening, like how far ahead a breakaway is. It’s only two stages, but they are difficult ones and those days will be a different kind of racing and there will be a different kind of result. I don’t think it’s a good idea. For safety, maybe it’s better with the radio,” Stijn Devolder told the Guardian.

Stage 10 from Limoges to Issoudon follows a rest day and is flat stage, and would typically see the sprinters teams seeking to control the bunch and deliver their designated sprinter to the line first. Without radios, there’s a high chance that several riders could get away from the peloton and maintain a gap all the way to the finish. Similarly, stage 14 is a hilly affair and unpredictable racing and spontaneous riding could go down well.

Will this two stage ban be a template for next year? That depends on how the racing goes, how the riders and team managers react and how exciting the racing is, if it’ll actually be any different to before. Whatever happens in the future, these two stages could serve up some unpredictable racing as riders seek to take advantage.