UCI

UCI Rankings Explained

Peter Sagan pictured on his way to winning the green jersey… and an extra 120 UCI points. With team licences for 2020-2022 partially dependent on UCI rankings, points aren’t quite back in fashion but they’re bound to influence targets and tactics this season. What’s better, wining the Tour Down Under or placing fourth in the Giro or fifth in Tour de France? There’s no right or wrong answer but there is a correct reply if it’s down to UCI points. Win the GC on Sunday for the Tour Down Under and a rider will collect 500 UCI ranking points, more than a rider gets for fourth in the GC in the Giro or fifth in the Tour and a good reason among others why Richie Porte still targets the Tour Down Under. Here’s a closer look at the UCI rankings.

Read more

Ranking the Rankings

Who is the best rider in the UCI World Tour? Peter Sagan, Chris Froome, Alejandro Valverde… it’s Simon Yates according to the UCI rankings. The point here is any ranking is subjective but it’s especially so in cycling where, unlike other sports, the notion of a league table or a points-based ranking is almost redundant. It might even be having an effect on the racing.

Read more

Wednesday Shorts

Are your socks the right length? The UCI used to regulate sock length but the rule vanished. Now it’s back for 2019 and the handy image above sets out the maximum permitted length in graphic terms rather than the dry text of UCI Rule 1.3.033 bis. We’ll see if commissaires are running after riders with tape measures…

Read more

UCI Reforms Review

A quick note on the UCI reforms announced or reported on last week, whether the Women’s World Tour, tramadol bans or the sort-of reforms for men’s pro cycling. Skip this post if your eyes are glazing over already but it’s helpful to put some notes down.

Read more

Tuesday Shorts

Remco Evenepoel is the new junior world time trial champion, completing the 27km course in 33m15s and finishing 1m23 ahead of Australia’s Lucas Plapp. He could have gone faster…

Read more

Friday Shorts

The Tokyo Olympics courses are out and if it’s for 2020 it’s hardly 50/50 with the men’s course taking in more climbs, including skirting around Mount Fuji which could provide the image of the games… if the weather is clear. But for now the look isn’t good with the women’s course skipping these climbs and the peloton will be half the size of the men’s race too.

Read more

Much Ado About Something

Chris Froome goes from persona non grata to all clear in the space of a couple of days, the UCI has announced the salbutamol case from last year’s Vuelta has been closed. The *asterisk of pending resolution is deleted, the Sword of Damocles sheathed and ASO suspend the action they began three weeks ago to block Froome from riding the Tour de France. But all the same things won’t return to the state they were when things were normal.

Read more

UCI to Introduce Cortisol Testing and Ban Tramadol

Don’t jump for joy yet, don’t open the champagne but all the same the news yesterday from the UCI that the Management Committee, its board, has announced it plans to test cortisol levels and ban Tramadol for 2019 and this is welcome news.

Read more

+ More