On Friday evening, the organisers some of the biggest European races agreed to reduce team sizes for major events in 2017. Today, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) issued a statement in reponse, informing the Tour de France organisers Amaury Sport Organisaion (ASO), Giro d'Italia organisers RCS Sport and Flanders Classics, who put on the Tour of Flanders, that they cannot decide to change the sport's rules.
"The UCI wishes to clarify the current position regarding team sizes. Whilst a potential reduction in team sizes may reflect a view held by some stakeholders, including some race organisers, any changes to the regulations governing men's professional road cycling must be agreed by the Professional Cycling Council (PCC), on which the race organisers are fully represented," the UCI statement read.
The three race organisers issued a press release after the General Assembly of the International Association of Cycling Race Organizers (AIOCC), announcing the reduction of team sizes for the Grant Tours from nine riders to eight, and from eight to seven in the other events.
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In the UCI regulations for road races article 2.2.003, it states that team size is decided by the race organisers, with a minimum of four and maximum of eight, "9 for Grand Tours", but adds a caveat for the WorldTour events:
"In UCI WorldTour events, the number of starting riders per team is 9 for Grand Tours and 8 for other events. However, subject to prior approval by the Professional Cycling Council, the organiser may fix the number of starting riders per team at 7. The organiser shall request the permission of the Professional Cycling Council on or before 1st January of the year of the event."
The UCI stated that the reduction of team sizes was discussed at the most recent meeting of the PCC, but "it was agreed to consider in detail the implications of such reduction over the coming months, with no change for 2017".
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