UCI World Ranking
Encyclopedia
The UCI World Tour is the premier annual male elite road cycling tour. It refers to both the tour of 27 events and an annual ranking system based upon performances in these. The World Ranking was launched in 2009, and merged fully with its predecessor the UCI ProTour
in 2011.
(UCI) maintained both the UCI Road World Rankings
, which awarded results for all its sanctioned races, and the UCI Road World Cup, which was awarded on the basis of performance in ten selected one day events. Both were replaced from the 2005 season by the UCI ProTour
and UCI Continental Circuits
. However, disputes between the UCI and ASO
, the organisers of the Tour de France
and other classics, and eventually with the organisers of the Tours of Italy
and Spain
, meant that by 2008 the ProTour was devalued as a ranking method, as only one of the Monument events, and three other classics
, remained under the auspices of the UCI. As a result, the UCI World Ranking was introduced, merging performances from both the ProTour and other prestigious events.
At the start of 2011, the ProTour and World Ranking were fully merged again. ProTour is dead, long live the World Tour Cyclingweekly. Accessed 14-01-11 The ranking system was re-branded as the 'World Tour', whilst 'ProTeam' was retained as a registration category for professional teams. All ProTeams gain automatic entry to World Tour events.
Besides the overshadowing of the classic races, also the points system is according to some riders not good for the sport. Both Geoffroy Lequatre
and Thor Hushovd
showed their concerns during the transfer period before the 2012 season. Riders are signed because of the points they scored in the last seasons. Domestique riders like Lequatre work for their teams and will therefore, score less points than their team leaders found it hard to find new teams.
The points system is not only criticized by the road cyclist, but also by other disciplines. Belgian cyclo crosser
Sven Nys
said that it will be good for the Cyclo-cross
sport if the winner of a cross is also awarded World Tour points. This would encourage several (former) crossers who have switched to the road to participate in the crosses. Also the teams of those riders will then help the Cyclo Cross sport to grow.
In 2009 and 2010, only riders for ProTour teams and Professional Continental teams. When a national squad, that is not a UCI registered team, participated in a race, its members were not eligible to receive points. In 2011, a rule change meant that only riders on ProTeam squads were eligible for points.
UCI ProTour
The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI . Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series...
in 2011.
Background
Until the end of 2004, the Union Cycliste InternationaleUnion Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
(UCI) maintained both the UCI Road World Rankings
UCI Road World Rankings
The UCI Road World Rankings was a system of ranking road bicycle racers based upon the results in all UCI-sanctioned races over a twelve month period. The world rankings were first instituted by the UCI in 1984....
, which awarded results for all its sanctioned races, and the UCI Road World Cup, which was awarded on the basis of performance in ten selected one day events. Both were replaced from the 2005 season by the UCI ProTour
UCI ProTour
The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI . Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series...
and UCI Continental Circuits
UCI Continental Circuits
The UCI Continental Circuits are road bicycle racing competitions contested under the auspices of the Union Cycliste Internationale . The five circuits are inferior to the UCI ProTour. Both the ProTour and the circuits comprise a series of races in which various cycling teams compete regularly...
. However, disputes between the UCI and ASO
Amaury Sport Organisation
The Amaury Sport Organisation is part of the French media group, EPA . It organises sporting events including the Tour de France and Paris–Nice professional cycle road races, and the Dakar Rally...
, the organisers of the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
and other classics, and eventually with the organisers of the Tours of Italy
Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
and Spain
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
, meant that by 2008 the ProTour was devalued as a ranking method, as only one of the Monument events, and three other classics
Classic cycle races
The classic cycle races are one-day professional cycling road races in the international calendar. Most of the events, all run in western Europe, have been fixtures on the professional calendar for decades and the oldest ones date back to the 19th Century. They are normally held at roughly the same...
, remained under the auspices of the UCI. As a result, the UCI World Ranking was introduced, merging performances from both the ProTour and other prestigious events.
At the start of 2011, the ProTour and World Ranking were fully merged again. ProTour is dead, long live the World Tour Cyclingweekly. Accessed 14-01-11 The ranking system was re-branded as the 'World Tour', whilst 'ProTeam' was retained as a registration category for professional teams. All ProTeams gain automatic entry to World Tour events.
Criticism
Over time the criticism on the UCI World Tour grows. Riders, managers and fans believe the World Tour overshadows the traditions of road cycling. Many non-European races are introduced by the UCI overshadow the classic European races. World Tour teams are forced to enter the World Tour events and, therefore teams will not send a squad, or a weaker squad to the classic events.Besides the overshadowing of the classic races, also the points system is according to some riders not good for the sport. Both Geoffroy Lequatre
Geoffroy Lequatre
Geoffroy Lequatre is a French professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His best win so far is the 2008 Tour of Britain.- Notable Results :2003*...
and Thor Hushovd
Thor Hushovd
Thor Hushovd is a Norwegian professional road bicycle racer riding . He has signed for from 2012 onwards. He is known for sprinting and time trialing and is the 2010 Norwegian and world road champion. He is the first Norwegian to lead the Tour de France, and first Scandinavian to win the road...
showed their concerns during the transfer period before the 2012 season. Riders are signed because of the points they scored in the last seasons. Domestique riders like Lequatre work for their teams and will therefore, score less points than their team leaders found it hard to find new teams.
The points system is not only criticized by the road cyclist, but also by other disciplines. Belgian cyclo crosser
Cyclo-cross
Cyclo-cross is a form of bicycle racing. Races typically take place in the autumn and winter , and consists of many laps of a short course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and...
Sven Nys
Sven Nys
Sven Nys is a professional cyclist who has won his most important victories in cyclo-cross races.Nys began racing BMX at the age of 8...
said that it will be good for the Cyclo-cross
Cyclo-cross
Cyclo-cross is a form of bicycle racing. Races typically take place in the autumn and winter , and consists of many laps of a short course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and...
sport if the winner of a cross is also awarded World Tour points. This would encourage several (former) crossers who have switched to the road to participate in the crosses. Also the teams of those riders will then help the Cyclo Cross sport to grow.
Ranking events
The UCI World Tour consists of 27 events. These events are made up from:- The three Grand TourGrand Tour (cycling)In road bicycle racing, a Grand Tour refers to one of the three major European professional cycling stage races:* Tour de France – Tour of France , held in July* Giro d'Italia – Tour of Italy , held in May...
s - The five Monument one day races
- Nine further stage races in Europe
- Six further one day races in Europe
- One stage race in Australia
- Two one day races in Canada
- One stage race in Asia
| Race | World Ranking Points | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Second | Third | final position for which points are given |
||
 Tour de FranceTour de France The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The... |
Overall Each stage |
200 20 |
150 10 |
120 6 |
20th (4 points) 5th (2 points) |
 Giro d'ItaliaGiro d'Italia The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...  Vuelta a EspañaVuelta a España The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages... |
Overall Each stage |
170 16 |
130 8 |
100 4 |
20th (2 points) 5th (1 point) |
 Tour Down UnderTour Down Under The Tour Down Under is a cycling race in Adelaide, South Australia and surrounding area. The race starts on the third Tuesday of January each year and attracts riders from across Australia and the world. In 2005, the Tour Down Under was promoted by the Union Cycliste Internationale to the... Paris–Nice Tirreno–Adriatico Tour of the Basque Country Tour de RomandieTour de Romandie The Tour de Romandie is a stage race which is part of the UCI World Tour. It runs in the Romandie region, in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. It began in 1947, to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Swiss Cycling.... Volta a Catalunya Critérium du Dauphiné Tour de SuisseTour de Suisse The Tour de Suisse is a UCI World Tour stage race held annually in June. The race debuted in 1933 and has evolved in timing, duration and sponsorship. With the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is a proving ground for the Tour de France, and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...  Tour de PologneTour de Pologne The Tour de Pologne is a road bicycle racing stage race. It consists of seven or eight stages and is usually around 1,200 km in length. The race was first held in 1928. Until 1952 the race was held sporadically, but since then it has been an annual race...   Tour of Benelux Tour of BeijingTour of Beijing The Tour of Beijing is a stage professional bicycle road race held in China. Its first edition took place on October 5-9, 2011, as the second to last event in the 2011 UCI World Tour.... |
Overall Each stage |
100 6 |
80 4 |
70 2 |
10th (4 points) 5th (1 point) |
| Milan – San Remo Tour of Flanders Tour of Flanders The Tour of Flanders is a Flanders Classics road cycling race held in Belgium every spring, a week before the Paris–Roubaix road race. It is part of the UCI World Tour and one of the so-called monuments of the European professional calendar. It is the most important cycling race in Flanders... Paris–Roubaix Liège–Bastogne–Liège Giro di Lombardia |
100 | 80 | 70 | 10th (4 points) | |
| Gent–Wevelgem Amstel Gold Race Amstel Gold Race The Amstel Gold Race is a road bicycle race held in the southern part of the province of Limburg, Netherlands. Since 1989 it has been among the races included in season long rankings tables, as part of the UCI Road World Cup , the UCI ProTour , UCI World Ranking and from 2011 the UCI World Tour... La Flèche WallonneLa Flèche Wallonne La Flèche Wallonne is a major men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Belgium.The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is today normally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold Race and Liège–Bastogne–Liège... Clásica de San SebastiánClásica de San Sebastián The Donostia-Donostia Klasikoa - Clásica San Sebastián-San Sebastián is a cycle race that has been held every summer since 1981 in San Sebastián, Spain...  Vattenfall CyclassicsVattenfall Cyclassics The Vattenfall Cyclassics is an annual one-day pro and amateur cycling race in and around Hamburg. Although it is a race with a short history, it is nevertheless reckoned as a classic. It started as an unimportant race in 1996, but because of the fast growing popularity of cycling in Germany, it...  Grand Prix Cycliste de QuébecGrand Prix Cycliste de Québec The Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec is a one-day professional bicycle road race held in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Its first edition was on September 10, 2010, as the penultimate event in the 2010 UCI ProTour.... Grand Prix Cycliste de MontréalGrand Prix Cycliste de Montréal The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal is a one-day professional bicycle road race held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Its first edition was held on September 12, 2010 as the final event in the 2010 UCI ProTour.... GP Ouest-FranceGP Ouest-France Grand-Prix de Plouay Ouest-France is an elite cycle race held annually in late summer around a circuit based on the small Breton village of Plouay since 1931... |
80 | 60 | 50 | 10th (2 points) | |
In 2009 and 2010, only riders for ProTour teams and Professional Continental teams. When a national squad, that is not a UCI registered team, participated in a race, its members were not eligible to receive points. In 2011, a rule change meant that only riders on ProTeam squads were eligible for points.
Results
| Year | Top Ranked Individual | Top Ranked Team | Top Ranked Nation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 2009 UCI World Ranking The 2009 UCI World Ranking is the first edition of the ranking system launched by the International Cycling Union , replacing the rankings previously part of the UCI ProTour. The series started with the Tour Down Under's opening stage on 20 January, and consists of 13 stage races and 11 one-day... |
, | ||
| 2010 2010 UCI World Ranking The 2010 UCI World Ranking was the second edition of the ranking system launched by the International Cycling Union in 2009. The series started with the Tour Down Under's opening stage on 19 January, and consisted of 13 stage races and 13 one-day races, culminating in the Giro di Lombardia on 16... |
, | ||
| 2011 2011 UCI World Tour The 2011 UCI World Tour was the third edition of the ranking system launched by the International Cycling Union in 2009. The series started with the Tour Down Under's opening stage on 18 January, and consisted of 14 stage races and 13 one-day races, culminating in the Giro di Lombardia on 15... |
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