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

[BrumJim]

Jealousy?

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

 

[oldroadman]

Surely the Tour de Yorkshire?

 

[oldroadman]

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.

 

[oldroadman]

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.

 

[lyn1]

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)

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

London Surrey Classic is WT for 2017

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

 

[lyn1]

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?

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

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

 

[oldroadman]

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

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

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

 

[oldroadman]

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).

 

[Buddfox]

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."

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

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

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

 

[oldroadman]

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.