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Professional cycling declared a new era of unity and stability on Thursday with the launch of a race calendar grouping elite events into a world ranking system for riders and teams.
The world calendar of 24 races comprises the three major tours of France, Italy and Spain; 10 stage races, including the season-opening Tour Down Under in South Australia; and 11 one-day classics in Europe.
The coordinated series completes a peace deal between the International Cycling Union (UCI) and Amaury Sports Organisation, owner of the Tour de France, after years of bitter arguments over the sport’s future direction.
“Cycling has now regained its unity and harmony,” UCI president Pat McQuaid said. “Cycling has experienced a very severe conflict over past recent years and it has caused the sport considerable harm.”
The calendar was drawn up by a UCI-led working party that included race organisers, teams and the professional riders’ union, the CPA.
“It represents the successful outcome of a genuinely collective effort,” McQuaid said. “It takes into account the heritage of our sport as well as the legitimate ambitions of the global development of our sport.”
The calendar offers guarantees to race organisers, sponsors and broadcasters that the 16 best teams will race at all the top events. Riders and teams will collect points for finishing positions in races and individual stages which will count toward the world rankings.
The UCI hopes to create a buzz about the rankings similar to the system used in tennis by publishing the new standings each Monday after a race.
From 2011, the rankings are intended to decide which teams can enter the Tour de France, cycling’s signature event, each July.
The working party will continue to meet throughout the nine-month season – which starts January 20 with the Adelaide-based race – to modify the world calendar for 2010.
McQuaid told The Associated Press that it was important for cycling to present a united front when all sports are anticipating difficult financial times in the global economic downturn.
“The world calendar has come just at the right time,” he said. “People are looking at cycling as a sport which is much more solid and stable. We have got a lot to offer in marketing and advertising.”
The rankings will be restricted to teams and riders participating in the biological passport anti-doping scheme, introduced in cycling after a succession of drug scandals hit the sport.
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