Milan-Sanremo is this Saturday and hopefully you’ve got it as a date in your diary. Only some loyal readers may not because when this site put the 2016 pro cycling calendar online last October Milan-Sanremo was left off by mistake. Subscribers need not worry but if you downloaded the file it’s worth getting the updated version below as it’s got La Primavera and several other changes.
If you haven’t downloaded the file nor subscribed you’ll find info below how to do this plus a quick explainer on the calendar and that UCI labels like “1.HC” and “2.1” mean.
The calendar which lists all the major pro races for men and women. You can look in any time you like: mobile users will see “Menu” drop down menu button near the top of the page and desktop users will find the “CALENDAR” link at the top of the page.
You can also have the file in your electronic diary whether in your iPhone, Outlook, S Planner, Google Calendar and so on.
iCal
An iCal is a calendar file that you can store on your phone or electronic diary. There are several ways to get this on to your computer or phone.
Subscribe and get automatic updates: The recommended option is to subscribe by copying the iCal URL:
https://www.google.com/calendar/ical/rq7vnprknjsup7ia4406gk17ec%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics
- If you use MacOS/iOS copy the URL… then Calendar.app hit cmd+alt+S (or File>New Calendar Subscription…) whilst in Calendar paste in the link and it will update across all your devices and updates will be processed
- iPhone/iPad users should tap a finger here and wait for the pop up message and select copy. Then go to settings > mail/contacts/calendars > then “add account” > “other” > “add subscribed calendar” > paste the copied URL into the server field and follow the instructions. Think about turning off the alarm so you don’t get midnight alerts
- If you use Microsoft Outlook, copy the URL and then go to Tools > Account Settings > Internet Calendars and paste the URL to subscribe. In each case when the calendar is updated with a date change or an event is cancelled your software will upload the new data.
- With Google Calendar then open it and click view calendar > Other Calendars > Add by URL and then past the URL in
All these methods above are the best way because any additions, deletion and amendments will automatically be pushed to your diary or device.
Direct download: if you can’t do the above, you can download the iCal file for your organiser, phone, computer and other devices from here
Right-click to save the ics / iCal / iCalendar file and you can import it into your electronic diary. This means you won’t get any updates automatically and if have downloaded before and don’t have Milan-Sanremo showing this Saturday then get the new file.
The Calendar Explained
Each race is listed along with its location and UCI status eg World Tour, 1.1 or 2.HC.
- WT means World Tour and includes all the prime races on the calendar, from the three grand tours (Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta a Espana) to the one day classics like Paris-Roubaix, the Tour of Flanders and Il Lombardia, as well as others like the Tour of Poland or the Tour Down Under and can be anywhere in the world. All 18 UCI Pro Teams must ride and organisers may invite UCI Pro Continental Teams.
After this come races in different races that are grouped by region, with the UCI Asia Tour, UCI America Tour, UCI Africa Tour and UCI Oceania Tour and UCI Europe Tour. The bulk of races on the calendar above are in Europe with races like the Het Nieuwsblad, the Criterium International or the Tour of Denmark but we also find races like the Tour of California and the Tour de Langkawi.
- HC is the next level down and up to 70% of the teams invited may come from the UCI World Tour Teams with UCI Pro Continental and UCI Continental teams making up the rest of the field
- .1 is another step down where up to 50% of the teams can be UCI World Tour Teams with the rest from Pro Continental, Continental and also national teams
- Note 1.HC and 1.1 denotes a one day race and 2.HC or 2.1 means any stage race
- Women’s races are W1.1 etc and the biggest races are the Women’s World Tour or WWT
- There is also a UCI category .2 but these races are excluded to keep the calendar concise and focus on the top pro races
Excellent resource (though confusing for diary-surfing work colleagues “I was going to book in a meeting, but it looks like you’re on a Presidential Tour of Turkey?”).
Yeah, but it’s a great excuse, though, isn’t it? Sorry, would LOVE to come but I’m already booked for Paris-Roubaix 🙂
Excellent!
Does it not appear as a separate calendar that is only visible to yourself and you can display and hide as you like? Certainly does with Google Calendar
Thanks as ever inrng!!
Just a note on your lead-in photo – Astoria 9.5 “Cold Wine” is pretty good stuff. Very much like a good prosecco. A few years ago I was lucky enough to discover some back in Iowa (a gawdawful place in so many ways) at a discount wine shop. The proprietor seemed to have no idea what it was so I able to pick up his remaining stock for a few $ a bottle. Have not yet checked a LIDL for the bubbly sprayed around up north, but I’ll post a review once I find some and taste it.
It’s offtopic to the calender, but ontopic to the pictures
Amusing or terrifying/worrying depending on your perspective:
Bora-Argon 18 gets RCS wildcards –> Bora sponsored a jersey on Tirreno-Adriatico
Novo Nordisc gets RCS wildcard –> just look at the diabetes pictures above
And last year there was CCC and so on
…
It is all so hollow and corrupted. Of course it has been said before, but it just struck me again when I saw the pictures.
ultimately a function of having your sport riddled with doping I think. Money gets tight as sponsors run for the hills, so race organisers have to get ‘creative’….
“hollow and corrupted”? cycling as a mass spectator sport was always intended to be a marketing stunt to showcase different brands. Accepting it is part of the package of being a fan of pro cycling, without it we wouldn’t have a sport to watch.
Noel below: this has nothing to do with doping at all. Race organisers have always relied on commercial sponsorships, and historically teams have even been asked to pay entry fees in order to use an organiser’s race to promote the team’s brand. Nothing new here.
Best to know the bigger picture before you drag something into the gutter unnecessarily…
I’d support that but there is reason to be cynical when we see wildcard invitations going to teams that happen to sponsor the race. That said if CCC or Novo Nordisk start Sanremo it’s not as if there’s a “must have” wildcard team sitting at home who have been denied a place because they could not pay to play.
First: Thanks for telling us what is wrong and right and what we have to think-would simply be lost without that. Second: You might know the history and facts, but many people believe, like it generally is implied all over the news and as we know it from some other sports, that the reason to get a wildcard is mostly a sporting criteria (although we accept, that under this may fall in a wider sense also nationality, as it promotes the sport in that country/region).
It would be a lot more honest, plus it would enable the viewer/fan to really judge the situation, for example the hierarchy in the sport, if RCS (and others) would simply say: Want to race in our races, then pay for it. But that they never say loud, although it is this way. If it is so normal and innocent, why don’t they promote it: Team A supports us, we are now partners and for that they get a place in our race? Wonder why that never happens…
Is Tro Bro Leon being televised / streamed tomorrow please?
Err, I think I should get with it and download the Ical as it’s 17 April not March haha!