Pub quizzers take note: Tuesday 24 January saw a milestone in the adoption of disc brakes in road cycling, as Tom Boonen became the first cyclist to win a UCI professional road race using disc brakes.
Boonen's win on stage 2 of the Vuelta a San Juan is surely the first of many, but what about amateur cyclists? Are disc brakes allowed on sportives?
It's a question we get asked regularly by readers. Last year several high-profile sportives on the continent barred the use of disc brakes, following bans issued by the UCI and the French cycling federation.
Major events like the Look Marmotte and the Etape du Tour were affected, causing outrage among cyclists who had entered planning to use their disc-equipped bikes only to find the rules changed after they'd paid their money.
Those disc bans were subsequently lifted, but it seems some confusion remains out there. And let's face it, before splashing out on a new disc-equipped road bike to tackle a big event, you want to be sure you'll be allowed to use it.
So, with the new season ahead, we contacted some of the main event organisers in the UK and Europe to clarify their rules on disc brakes for their 2017 sportives.
Welcome to the rotor-y club
The good news for fans of rotors is that yes, you will be allowed to use disc brakes on all of the major UK and European sportives in 2017. In June 2016 the UCI ruled that disc brakes would be allowed for use in mass participation rides - i.e. sportives and gran fondos - and this ruling has since been broadened to include competitive events and professional races.
Golazo Sports, organisers of the Marmotte Granfondo Series as well as some of the Spring Classic sportives like the Tour of Flanders, assured us that disc brakes would be allowed on all of their 2017 events.
In addition to the Look Marmotte, disc brakes are also permitted in the UCI Gran Fondo World Series; series manager Erwin Vervecken confirmed that: "Since June last year, all disc brakes are allowed in cycling for all events, competitive and non competitive and also in elite races since early this season."
Etape organisers ASO Challenges likewise assure cyclists that, "Yes, disc brakes will be permitted on ASO Cycling Challenges, including the Etape du Tour."
While in Italy, the organisers of Maratona dles Dolomites are also giving disc brakes the green light.
It seems disc brakes are now universally accepted on the continent. But what about here in #brakesit Britain, where we like to do things our way?
Evans Cycles, who organise the popular Ride It series of sportives, are emphatic in their support for discs.
"The use of disc brakes is permitted in all of the Evans Cycles Ride It events," said PR Manager James Booth.
"Over the last few years we've seen more and more riders using them at our events and that's a trend we expect to continue. They're a great choice for many sportive riders, offering good wet weather performance and more clearance for running wider road tyres."
This sentiment was echoed by UK Cycling Events, who run more than 60 sportives nationwide including the Wiggle Super Series and Cycling Weekly Sportive Series. UKCE events include road, MTB and cyclocross sportives, and they confirmed that disc brakes were welcome at all of their cycling events.
Finally Human Race, organisers of the legendary Dragon Ride and L'Etape London among other highly regarded cycling challenges, also gave discs a resounding thumbs up.
"Disc brakes are fine at our sportives (and indeed most of our triathlons, the only exception being 'draft-legal' events)," they confirmed.
So there you have it - disc brakes are welcome everywhere. In fact we couldn't find a single sportive or granfondo where disc brakes will not be accepted.
As that quandary screeches to a noisy but well-modulated standstill, all that remains is to choose your personal preference.
Rim brakes or discs? The debate rolls on...
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