The UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) have today announced a number of rule changes in relation to peloton sizes in a bid to improve rider and spectator safety. Amongst the changes announced are that the size of teams in Grand Tours will be limited to 8 riders compared to the current 9-man teams.

It’s a change that the three biggest race organisers – A.S.O., RCS Sport and Flanders Classics – had tried to introduce for the 2017 season not only to improve safety but they also felt that smaller teams would “make it more difficult to dominate a race as well as enhance conditions for events to offer better racing for cycling fans”.

The statement from the UCI is as follows:

“Following today’s meeting in Bergen, Norway at the 2017 UCI Road World Championships, the UCI Management Committee has agreed major modernisations of its rules governing road racing, mountain bike, BMX racing and indoor cycling.

“To improve the safety of the riders, spectators and the race convoy, the UCI Management Committee decided to limit the peloton size to a maximum of 176 riders in all events on the UCI International Road Calendar. Therefore, a maximum of 7 riders will now be allowed per team in all men’s road races (except Grand Tours, 8). In the UCI Women’s WorldTour, there will be a maximum of 6 riders per team in one-day races, 7 in stage-races.”

12 COMMENTS

      • Remove radios from riders/team cars and / or remove data units from riders so they have to guage their effort manually.

        That would definitely remove something that dampens the excitement in a race.

    • Persecution delirium. That’s just to make space for more teams. If they really were trying to “stop a certain British team from dominating” they were putting that cap on team budgets, which they’re not doing.

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