UCI announces complete overhaul of WorldTour points system
From the start of 2017, the men's WorldTour will use the same points system as the World Ranking
- Mountains and points classification winners recognised for first time
Confusingly, the UCI WorldTour ranking used a completely different points scale to the similarly-named UCI World Ranking, which was introduced for the 2016 season.
Now, the WorldTour will use the same points scale as used for the World Ranking.
This means that riders will now get points for placing in the top 60 rather than top 20 of a race. In addition, points will be allocated to riders who top the final points and mountain classifications in Grand Tours, and points are awarded to a rider wearing a race leader's jersey per stage.
"A greater number of riders will therefore be able to score points," said the UCI. "Which will improve the spectacle, benefit teams in the team ranking and reward riders who previously received no points when finishing below 20th place."
The WorldTour nation ranking has been scrapped all together, and the WorldTour team ranking will also been changed.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Previously, only the top five riders in each team had their points added together to give the team's figure. Now, all members of a team will have their points put forward to their team's ranking.
"This change should encourage better performances from the whole team because results achieved by all a team’s riders will be taken into account," says the UCI.
The WorldTour ranking only tallies points from races in the WorldTour calendar, while the World Ranking includes points gained from any event in the UCI road calendar. This comprises: UCI WorldTour, UCI Continental Circuits, UCI World Championships, National and Continental Championships, Olympic Games and Continental Games. There are currently 2,952 riders in the World Ranking.
Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.
