Key men’s professional road cycling stakeholders agree to UCI reforms following seminar

Key men’s professional road cycling stakeholders have agreed to the UCI reforms ©Getty Images

Key stakeholders of men’s professional road cycling have agreed to International Cycling Union (UCI) reforms following a two-day seminar with the governing body in Barcelona.

The UCI Management Committee had approved the reforms, which followed a two-year consultation process, during the Road Cycling World Championships in the American city Richmond during September.

They were dealt a blow, however, after the International Association of Cycling Race Organizers (AIOCC) unanimously rejected the reforms last month.

An agreement, though, now appears to have been reached as representatives of over 25 UCI WorldTour events, the 18 UCI World Teams and riders have now given the green light for the changes to go ahead.

A Professional Calendar Working Group will be established to maximise cooperation between stakeholders in men’s road cycling and advise the Professional Cycling Council on the UCI WorldTour Calendar.

The UCI will act as the administrator, but two representatives from both the International Association of Professional Cycling Teams (AIGCP) and the AIOCC will be part of the group, as well as an observer who will represent the riders.

The existing WorldTour calendar is set to be used as a base with races set to be registered on an initial three year basis from 2017 to 2019, while events from the second tier will be invited to apply to be included and assessed in 2016.

Races wishing to join the top tier are set to be assessed based on a range of criteria to ensure their technical quality and their role in the strategic development and promotion of the UCI WorldTour.

A maximum of 18 teams will be granted three-year WorldTour licenses from 2017 ©Getty Images

“I am convinced that this reform will enable us to showcase the best of men’s professional road racing," said Brian Cookson, UCI President.

"Road cycling’s strengths lie in its variety, its season-long narrative, its accessibility to fans and its global nature.

“The UCI WorldTour needs to embrace these strengths and effectively promote them while celebrating the richness of the season and the performances of its actors.

“This reform respects existing rights, ensures stability for organisers and teams and encourages stakeholders to work together, ultimately reinforcing the credibility and integrity of cycling.

“We all need to feel responsible for the image of our sport.”

The move to award three-year WorldTour licences for teams, rather than awarding them annually, has also been approved to increase stability in team structures, which the UCI hope will encourage investment.

A maximum of 18 teams will be granted UCI WorldTour licenses for the 2017 to 2019 seasons with the awarding set to be based upon financial, sporting, administrative, organisational and ethical criteria.

As part of the conditions to be a WorldTour team, outfits must adhere to internal operational requirements, which the UCI have developed in an effort to strengthen the integrity of teams and boost anti-doping measures as the governing body aims to restore credibility to the sport.

Oleg Tinkoff has claimed he will sell the Tinkoff team and dismissed the move to three-year WorldTour licenses ©Getty Images

Although the reforms were agreed by the participants in the seminar, Russian businessman Oleg Tinkov revealed he would be selling the Tinkoff-Saxo team at the end of the 2016 season and reflected that the failure of professional cycling to evolve played a part in his decision.

“It’s pretty simple to solve cycling’s problems, teams need to have equity so they can survive and develop, we need licences for at least five years, not just three years,” he told Cyclingnews.com.

“We need a transfer market like in football, so that I could perhaps now sell Peter Sagan and make money.

“In the last two or three years I’ve tried to fight with ASO (Amaury Sports Organisation) and the UCI, I’ve tried to find new revenue streams via TV rights, merchandise sales and tickets sales but nobody really supported me and wanted to take a strong stand with me.”