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WorldTour Team Sizes to Remain the Same in 2017

The UCI confirms no changes in team sizes after race organizers make moves to reduce team sizes with safety and competition in mind. 9 riders for Grand Tours and 8 riders for one day races and smaller stage races

ASO, which organises the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana as well as numerous other races, announced plans last week to reduce team sizes from nine to eight riders for the three-week Grand Tours and from eight to seven for several other races next year.

Giro d’Italia organisers RCS Sport and Flanders Classics, who organise a series of one-day races, were part of the joint statement with ASO.

On Saturday the UCI responded, saying the measure is a consideration at this stage, still needs approval and will not be implemented for 2017.

“Following recent statements, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) wishes to clarify the current position regarding team sizes,” it said.

“Whilst a potential reduction in team sizes may reflect a view held by some stakeholders, including some race organisers, any changes to the regulations governing men’s professional road cycling must be agreed by the Professional Cycling Council (PCC), on which the race organisers are fully represented."

“This subject was discussed at the last PCC meeting in November 2016, and it was agreed to consider in detail the implications of such reduction over the coming months, with no change for 2017.”

Those in favour of reducing team sizes say iot would make racing safer, due to a smaller peloton, and the competition more exciting and less controllable. 

This could be to break the dominance of Team Sky, especially in the Tour de France. 

ASO, RCS Sport and Flanders Classics said the number of competing teams would not be impacted.

The timing of the announcement was criticised by Pro Cycling teams.

Cannondale-Drapac, Sports Director Jonathan Vaughters  wrote on Twitter: “So nice of ASO to give teams and riders a heads up on their unilateral decision to reduce team size 2 months before season. I don’t disagree with the concept of smaller teams. But letting us know AFTER our planning and rosters are well in motion…Not considerate!”

2017 World Tour Pro Cycling Calendar

The 2017 calendar is out and the UCI has added more races to the World Tour with 10 events making up a total of 28 extra racing days on the Pro Calendar.

 Here are the new races for 2017:

29 January: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (Australia)
6-10 February: Tour of Qatar (Qatar)
23-26 February: Abu Dhabi Tour (United Arab Emirates)
25 February: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (Belgium)
4 March: Strade Bianche (Italy)
22 March: Dwars Door Vlaanderen / A travers la Flandre (Belgium)
18-23 April: Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey (Turkey)
1 May: Eschborn-Frankfurt « Rund um den Finanzplatz » (Germany)
14-21 May: Amgen Tour of California (United States)
30 July: Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic (Great Britain)

The addition of new events in February is welcome filling a previous gap. The World Tour will begin with a fanfare in Adelaide. The addition of two races in the Gulf are fierce races that many Pro's use as a warm up for the Spring Classics.

May is now the busiest month of the year with the Tour of California alongside the Giro d’Italia. The peloton is probably large enough to cope with two races.

At the end of July there’s a lot of racing, the Tour of Poland, the Clasica San Sebastian and the Ride London Surrey Classic so not all the races are compulsary.

One headline change is the USA which gets a World Tour race in the Tour of California as Pro Cycling continues to evolve. The new races to see the prime calendar reaching new parts of the world with the Tour of Turkeyand the Ride London Surrey Classic. Five extra races in new places alongside awarding five races World Tour status in countries with existing races. Overall the picture remains very Euro centric, having a grand tour equates to a large slice of the calendar and other traditional cycling countries like Belgium and Switzerland get a large share too.

Don't miss a race, click here for our 2017 Pro Cycling World Tour Calendar

WorldTour Team Sizes to Remain the Same in 2017

 
Tag: worldtour
 
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