# Should the UK be awarded a men's race with World Tour status?



## brommers (27 Jul 2016)

Given Britain's successes in recent years, both in terms of results and spectator's support, isn't it about time Britain should be rewarded with a World Tour status race - probably the Tour of Britain?


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## Pro Tour Punditry (27 Jul 2016)

That's not how it works. If it was we wouldn't have the Tour de France...


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## NorthernDave (27 Jul 2016)

Surely the Tour de Yorkshire?


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## gavroche (27 Jul 2016)

The Tour of Britain is too short. One week is not long enough.


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## mcshroom (27 Jul 2016)

I don't think the ToB could be turned into a Grand Tour. Three weeks of stage races round the UK would cover a lot of the land mass, and we just don't have the mountains to rival the three Grand Tours. Added to that with the Giro in May, Le Tour in July and the Vuelta in August/September, I can't see how you'd fit it in the calendar.

Eventually I hope that the week long ToB does make it onto the UCI World list like the Critérium du Dauphiné or the Tour Down Under.


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## brommers (27 Jul 2016)

gavroche said:


> The Tour of Britain is too short. One week is not long enough.





mcshroom said:


> I don't think the ToB could be turned into a Grand Tour. Three weeks of stage races round the UK would cover a lot of the land mass, and we just don't have the mountains to rival the three Grand Tours. Added to that with the Giro in May, Le Tour in July and the Vuelta in August/September, I can't see how you'd fit it in the calendar.
> 
> Eventually I hope that the week long ToB does make it onto the UCI World list like the Critérium du Dauphiné or the Tour Down Under.


The world tour races include 1 day races and stage races - it doesn't have to be over 21 days to be a world tour race. I didn't say Grand Tour.


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## deptfordmarmoset (27 Jul 2016)

Grow it, don't overblow it. It's doing well right now, isn't it? I'd have thought we needed to steadily redevelop the racing tradition with public interest here.


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## SWSteve (27 Jul 2016)

I think ToB has had it right, stages not too far from one another and decent organic growth. It's a shame there will be less British teams in this edition than previous, as I liked seeing the kits of teams outside of the big league


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## Dogtrousers (28 Jul 2016)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> Grow it, don't overblow it. It's doing well right now, isn't it? I'd have thought we needed to steadily redevelop the racing tradition with public interest here.



Well, the tradition thing is quite important. In France villagers go out and stock up on old bikes to decorate the roads with. In Britain they stock up on green ink and carpet tacks.


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## smutchin (29 Jul 2016)

NorthernDave said:


> Surely the Tour de Yorkshire?



Yeah, given ASO's involvement, the Tour of Yorkshire seems like a stronger candidate than the Tour of Britain. The regional character gives it a stronger identity as a race as well. 

The UCI's reforms are supposed to include more WT races, so it's plausible that we'll get some over here. Probably the RideLondon Classic will be top the list.


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## smutchin (29 Jul 2016)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> I think ToB has had it right, stages not too far from one another and decent organic growth. It's a shame there will be less British teams in this edition than previous, as I liked seeing the kits of teams outside of the big league



That's another reason for the Tour of Britain not to be promoted to WT status - most of the places would automatically go to the WT teams, with British teams (apart from Sky) only getting in as wild cards. the Tour of Britain should remain a showcase for British teams.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (29 Jul 2016)

smutchin said:


> Yeah, given ASO's involvement, the Tour of Yorkshire seems like a stronger candidate than the Tour of Britain. The regional character gives it a stronger identity as a race as well.
> 
> The UCI's reforms are supposed to include more WT races, so it's plausible that we'll get some over here. Probably the RideLondon Classic will be top the list.


It's a "Classic" already.


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## HF2300 (30 Jul 2016)

smutchin said:


> Yeah, given ASO's involvement, the Tour of Yorkshire seems like a stronger candidate than the Tour of Britain. The regional character gives it a stronger identity as a race as well.
> 
> The UCI's reforms are supposed to include more WT races, so it's plausible that we'll get some over here. Probably the RideLondon Classic will be top the list.



Women's race already WT status for this year, which is likely to make a case for the men's to be elevated to the same status.


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## BrumJim (30 Jul 2016)

smutchin said:


> Yeah, given ASO's involvement, the Tour of Yorkshire seems like a stronger candidate than the Tour of Britain. The regional character gives it a stronger identity as a race as well.
> 
> The UCI's reforms are supposed to include more WT races, so it's plausible that we'll get some over here. Probably the RideLondon Classic will be top the list.



That'll upset British Cycling. Already looks as though they stopped ToY expanding from 3 to 4 days due to jealousy.


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## Pro Tour Punditry (30 Jul 2016)

BrumJim said:


> That'll upset British Cycling. Already looks as though they stopped ToY expanding from 3 to 4 days due to jealousy.


Jealousy?


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## BrumJim (1 Aug 2016)

Marmion said:


> Jealousy?


Run by ASO and Gary Verity, rather than British Cycling big wigs, IIRC.


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## oldroadman (2 Aug 2016)

NorthernDave said:


> Surely the Tour de Yorkshire?


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## oldroadman (2 Aug 2016)

gavroche said:


> The Tour of Britain is too short. One week is not long enough.


Wrong. WT races can be one day up to GTs. It's about standards, and growing a race, and showing UCI that it's worthy of WT status.


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## oldroadman (2 Aug 2016)

BrumJim said:


> That'll upset British Cycling. Already looks as though they stopped ToY expanding from 3 to 4 days due to jealousy.


I've heard BC accused of things, but this is just nonsense. They DON'T RUN the ToB, or Rdie London. Both commercial organisers who have invested and speculated on making a success from scratch. TdY is still in a growth phase, just because ASO are running it does not make it any better. My guess is that it's not gone to 4 days for reasons that BC would not want made public. Plus Mr verity is very clever at announcing all sorts of things in the press which may or may not actually be related to what's really happening? Then again, that's speculation, much like his press statements.


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## lyn1 (2 Aug 2016)

London Surrey Classic is WT for 2017

Full list.

2017 UCI WorldTour calendar

New events

- 29 January: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (Australia)
- 6-10 February: Tour of Qatar (Qatar) 
- 23-26 February: Abu Dhabi Tour (United Arab Emirates)
- 25 February: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (Belgium)
- 4 March: Strade Bianche (Italy)
- 22 March: Dwars Door Vlaanderen / A travers la Flandre (Belgium)
- 18-23 April: Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey (Turkey)
- 1 May: Eschborn-Frankfurt « Rund um den Finanzplatz » (Germany)
- 14-21 May: Amgen Tour of California (United States)
- 30 July: Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic (Great Britain)


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## Pro Tour Punditry (2 Aug 2016)

lyn1 said:


> London Surrey Classic is WT for 2017


Quite a crowded WT weekend that one, with Clasica San Sebastian and Tour of Poland also scheduled.


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## lyn1 (2 Aug 2016)

Marmion said:


> Quite a crowded WT weekend that one, with Clasica San Sebastian and Tour of Poland also scheduled.


Yes, but there is a suggestion that only 10 WT teams need to do the new races, rather than all of them. But who decides which 10...the organiser, teams, UCI?
and where do some of the remaining places come from. Conti teams cannot race WT. but will exceptions be made for the new races?


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## Pro Tour Punditry (2 Aug 2016)

lyn1 said:


> Yes, but there is a suggestion that only 10 WT teams need to do the new races, rather than all of them. But who decides which 10...the organiser, teams, UCI?
> and where do some of the remaining places come from. Conti teams cannot race WT. but will exceptions be made for the new races?


I'm sure all will become clear*...

*once the UCI make it up later


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## oldroadman (3 Aug 2016)

ahem, "adjust the regulations to account for the 2017 calendar situation"......


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## Pro Tour Punditry (7 Aug 2016)

Marc Madiot not too keen on new WT calendar
http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/author/marc-madiot-blog-the-new-worldtour-calendar-is-unacceptable/


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## oldroadman (7 Aug 2016)

Marmion said:


> Marc Madiot not too keen on new WT calendar
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/author/marc-madiot-blog-the-new-worldtour-calendar-is-unacceptable/


Marc has a track record of complaining about almost everything that does not originate in France (where it's only 50% of things).


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## Buddfox (7 Aug 2016)

I saw this comment which I thought just about hit the nail on the head: "FDJ and Marc should drop out of world tour then if they want to prioritize minor french races over WT races. Problem solved."


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## Pro Tour Punditry (7 Aug 2016)

oldroadman said:


> Marc has a track record of complaining about almost everything that does not originate in France (where it's only 50% of things).





Buddfox said:


> I saw this comment which I thought just about hit the nail on the head: "FDJ and Marc should drop out of world tour then if they want to prioritize minor french races over WT races. Problem solved."


I do think he has valids points about teams also looking at supporting non-WT events, that teams should have been consulted, and also the bit about the research.

I appreciate Madiot does seem to moan about everything that is not his idea tho


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## oldroadman (8 Aug 2016)

Marmion said:


> I do think he has valids points about teams also looking at supporting non-WT events, that teams should have been consulted, and also the bit about the research.
> 
> I appreciate Madiot does seem to moan about everything that is not his idea tho


Fair comment. But if you want to play in the big league and still get involved at 1.1 or 1.2 level, or even national races, then run a development squad and run them at conti level, supporting the lower level stuff.


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