The three biggest race organisers – A.S.O., RCS Sport and Flanders Classics – have released a statement outlining significant changes for their races next season which will see team sizes reduce from 9 riders to 8 on Grand Tours and from 8 to 7 on other races.
The reasons they have stated for the changes are to improve the safety of riders due to a reduced peloton and also to make it more difficult for particular teams to dominate races which they feel will result in more exciting races.
In addition to the Giro d’Italia, RCS Sport also organise Milan-San Remo, Il Lombardia, Tirreno-Adriatico and Strade Bianche, amongst other races.
Flanders Classics meanwhile organise many of the big Northern classics including the Tour of Flanders, Ghent-Wevelgem, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Scheldeprijs.
A.S.O. are responsible for organising the Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Criterium du Dauphine and Paris-Tours amongst other races.
The joint statement from the race organisers is below:
A reduction in the number of riders for the RCS Sport, Flanders Classics and A.S.O. races
Following the General Assembly of the International Association of Cycling Race Organizers (AIOCC), RCS Sport, Flanders Classics and A.S.O have taken the decision to reduce the number of riders per team at the start of their races. The number of riders per team will thus decrease from 9 to 8 on the Grand Tours and from 8 to 7 on the other events.
This decision responds to two-pronged objective: the first being to improve the safety conditions for the riders with a smaller peloton on roads equipped with more and more street furniture. The second, which is a fortunate consequence of the first, is to make it more difficult to dominate a race as well as enhance conditions for events to offer better racing for cycling fans.
The decision will go into effect for the 2017 season, the number of teams will obviously remain the same.
