Professional Cycling Council agrees next steps of the reform and approves 2017 UCI WorldTour calendar

At yesterday’s meeting of the Professional Cycling Council (PCC) in Geneva, Switzerland, stakeholders ofmen’s professional road cycling agreed on the next steps of the reform and approved the 2017 UCIWorldTour calendar.

The calendar will comprise all existing UCI WorldTour races – including those in the Amaury SportOrganisation (ASO) portfolio.

In addition, the UCI WorldTour will welcome a number of other events in 2017 which will be awarded initialthree-year licences. The full 2017 UCI WorldTour calendar, which will be announced shortly, features awide range of top-level races that will further globalise the UCI WorldTour and strengthen the season-longnarrative.

UCI WorldTeams will be given a two-year licence for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. The number of UCIWorldTeams will be set at 17 for 2017, with the objective to reach 16 a year later. From the 2019 seasononwards, the number of UCI WorldTeams will be set at 16. From the end of the 2018 season onwards,there will be an annual challenge system, based on an overall annual sporting classification, between thelast ranked UCI WorldTeam and the top Pro Continental Team to enter as a UCI WorldTeam in the followingseason. In the event that a UCI WorldTeam drops out of the top tier, that team will have the right toparticipate in all the following season’s UCI WorldTour events, meaning that UCI WorldTeams will havestability for the three seasons 2017 to 2019.

As of 2017 season, all existing UCI WordTour events will have all UCI WorldTeams participating and for newUCI WorldTour events, participation rules which will ensure that a minimum of 10 UCI WorldTeams takepart will be proposed by the UCI for approval at the next meeting of the PCC.

UCI President Brian Cookson said: "This marks another important step in the reform of men’s professionalcycling, and I am very pleased that we now have our stakeholders behind what represents the future of oursport. I am delighted that we can build on the heritage and prestige of the UCI WorldTour, while alsowelcoming newer but already successful events taking place in and outside Europe. We are committed to

continuing the consultation with all stakeholders on various details of the reform."

"I am very pleased that the proposed reform has reached a large consensus," declared David Lappartient,President of the PCC. "Our stakeholders have agreed on a vision that will reinforce the globalisation ofcycling, ensure stability for teams and organisers, while preserving the principles of an open system thatwill allow access to UCI WorldTour level based on sporting results. It is a great step in making cycling a moreattractive and global sport, while respecting its roots and history."

AIOCC President, Christian Prudhomme added: "I am delighted that an agreement could be found that will

help the sport of cycling as a whole."

For more information, please contact:

Louis Chenaille

UCI Press Officer

+41 79 198 7047

louis.chenaille@uci.ch

John Zerafa

VERO Communications

+44 7813 814 816

jzerafa@verocom.co.uk

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