The new structure of men’s professional road cycling will be phased in over the 2019 season and will come fully into effect on 1 January 2020. Its main elements and changes are detailed below.
Calendar: three divisions of events
The UCI Road International Calendar will be made up of the following three divisions: UCI WorldTour, UCI ProSeries and UCI Continental Circuits.
As of 2020, a UCI Classics Series will be introduced within the UCI WorldTour, which will continue to comprise 38 one-day and stage races, including the three Grand Tours (Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España), totalling some 185 racing days. Around 20 one-day races, among the most prestigious or organised in strategic countries, will make up the UCI Classics Series.
The current HC class will disappear and be replaced by a new division of races called the UCI ProSeries. This will be composed of current HC and Class 1 events that will adhere to a demanding list of specifications.
There will be no change for the five existing UCI Continental Circuits, which will remain the cornerstones of our sport in their respective regions.
UCI WorldTour events will be appointed for a period of three years, a timespan which will offer organisers the stability they need. The organisers undertake to contribute to the development of cycling, for example by supporting a programme established be the National Federation, to the organisation of races for other categories (Women, Under 23, Juniors) or to UCI World Cycling Centre activities.
Three types of teams
As with the men’s UCI Road International Calendar, the teams will also be separated into three divisions (as is the case today): UCI WorldTeams, UCI ProTeams (currently known as UCI Professional Continental Teams) and UCI Continental Teams.
Eighteen teams will possess a UCI WorldTeam licence awarded for a period of three years after a full evaluation of all the candidate teams (and not only the teams already in possession of a licence) according to ethical, administrative, financial and organisational criteria. The teams will need to fulfil these criteria every year. The sporting criterion will be evaluated at the end of a three-year period. The UCI WorldTeams will comprise 27 to 30 professional riders.
The number of UCI ProTeams (20 to 30 professional riders) and UCI Continental Teams (10 to 16 professional riders) will not be limited (but contingent upon the compliance with regulatory requirements specific to each division).
It should be noted that UCI WorldTeams and UCI ProTeams will continue to have the possibility to take on neo-professional and trainee riders.
Like the organisers of UCI WorldTour races, UCI WorldTeams will be required to contribute to the development of cycling (UCI ProTeams can also do this, though it is not obligatory). The options available are for example to support initiatives such as a programme set up by a National Federation, the organisation of races for other categories (Women, Under 23, Juniors) or UCI World Cycling Centre activities.
What types of teams will take part in UCI WorldTour events?
Twenty-two teams of eight riders will take part in each of the three Grand Tours:
Grand Tours:
A total of 21 to 25 teams of seven riders will take part in the events that make up the UCI Classics Series:
UCI Classics Series:
A total of 20 to 25 teams of seven riders will take part in the other stage races in the UCI WorldTour:
Other UCI WorldTour stage races:
A total of 21 to 25 teams of seven riders will take part in the other one-day races in the UCI WorldTour:
Other UCI WorldTour one-day races:
Simplification of the rankings
As of 2019, the only ranking calculated on an international level will be the UCI World Ranking (the UCI WorldTour Ranking will disappear). The UCI World Ranking will take into account all the races on the UCI Road International Calendar. It will include the following:
The UCI Continental Rankings will continue to exist in their current format.