The UCI has announced part of its plan for restructuring professional cycling and has rowed back on plans to reduce the number of WorldTour teams.
Cycling’s governing body has revealed that the minimum number of riders on a WorldTour team will be increased from 23 to between 27 and 30.
Plans to reduce the number of WT teams from 18 to 15 have also been scrapped, after protests from teams.
UCI president David Lappartient said: “I am very happy that all together, we have reached a favourable consensus for all stakeholders of men’s professional road cycling: teams, riders, organisers, sponsors and fans alike.
“We now have a solid basis for continuing the development of our sport so that it becomes one of the major professional sports in the world, the sport of the 21st century.”
During the summer, the UCI announced plans to reduce the number of WorldTour teams from 18 to 15, but this idea was strongly opposed by teams themselves.
New plans for the pro cycling season were revealed on Tuesday evening.
Reason for the changes
UCI officials are meeting in Innsbruck, Austria during the road World Championships to discuss the future of the sport.
Alterations to the sport have been approved by the members of the Professional Cycling Council, a body made up of teams, riders and organisers.
According to the UCI, the new structure is designed "to improve the narrative of the season and the stability of the system, encourage new partners to come on board, improve cycling's global visibility and support its development at all levels."
The changes, which will be rolled out gradually from 2019, include alterations to the three current professional cycling divisions - WorldTour, pro continental and continental.
The second and third divisions will be renamed – pro continental will become the UCI ProSeries division, while continental will become the UCI Continental Circuits division.
WorldTour calendar and 'Classics Series'
From 2020, the WorldTour will comprise of the three Grand Tours, the other stages races, the one-day races and five Monuments in a new 'UCI Classics Series'.
The full details of the Classics Series have yet to be confirmed, but each event will be guaranteed for three years and the series will consist of 185 days of racing.
WorldTour Ranking scrapped
From next season, the UCI WorldTour ranking system will also be scrapped and replaced with a new UCI World Ranking.
The World Ranking will include rankings for all individual riders across the three divisions, rankings for each nation and new team rankings which take into account the results of the 10 best riders of each team in all divisions.
The current WorldTour ranking system takes into account the performances of all riders taking part in WorldTour events, including professional continental teams.
Grand Tour wildcards
The number of wildcard places at the Grand Tours will be reduced, while the two best UCI ProSeries teams will automatically be given the chance to ride in the three-week races.
The three best ProSeries teams will also have the right to take part in the UCI Classics Series and other WorldTour events.
According to the UCI, this is to take into account sporting achievements when choosing teams for WorldTour races.
WorldTour team criteria
From the end of 2019, and then every three years, 18 WorldTour teams will be given licences based on five criteria: ethical, administrative, financial, organisational, and sporting.
The UCI says this will enable a comparison between existing WorldTour teams and new candidates for WorldTour status.
Further details about the new structure are expected to be released before the start of the season.
Alex is the digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter and now as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output.
Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) and joining CW in 2018, Alex has covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers.
Away from journalism, Alex is a national level time triallist, avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
-
-
Kasper Asgreen readies himself for 'insanely high' level of opening day Tour de France time trial on native Danish soil
The Dane will tacke the Classics before trying for the opening yellow jersey of this summer's Tour de France
-
Bowman Cycles enters liquidation as supply chain crisis continues to grip bike industry
The company's website is currently offline and Companies House show a voluntary liquidator has been appointed
-
Six Of The Best Women's WorldTour races of 2021
It’s been another fabulous year of women’s racing, most which we have been able to watch, here are our six favourites
-
No phones, limited food, minimal sleep: Hannah Barnes 'looking forward to the next year' with Uno-X after team bonding experience
After six seasons at Canyon-SRAM the former British champion is feeling positive about her new role at her new Norwegian squad
-
Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race 2022: everything you need to know
The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race won't take place for the second year in a row in 2022
-
Women's WorldTour race days increase to 71 with Challenge by La Vuelta stage boost
With the addition of an extra stage in Spain, the Tour de France Femmes and the new Battle of the North, the calendar has grown substantially
-
WorldTour transfers 2022: All of the men's and women's new signings for the 2022 season
Who's changing teams for 2022 and who's retiring from the world of professional cycling
-
Porte and Dennis to ride Santos Festival of Cycling 2022
Confirmed teams and riders taking part in the 2022 Santos Festival of Cycling (January 23-29)
-
UCI announces teams for the 2022 WorldTour with six new women's teams joining the top tier
The women's top division of the sport is growing every year with yet more teams joining
-
UCI reveals it has refused Qhubeka-NextHash's WorldTour licence for 2022
The South African team has struggled with financial issues for the last few years
