Cycling Bodies Agree New Calendar
The International Cycling Union has unveiled a new schedule for the cycling calendar ending a three-year stand-off between the organisation and the Amaury Group which runs the Tour de France.
Under the new plan, the current road cycling calendar will be retained, with the UCI Pro Tour running alongside the flagship events on the Historical Calendar, including the big Tours and the oldest one-day classics.
Results in both calendars will award points in a new ranking system, which will be used from 2011 onwards to determine the 17 teams automatically qualifying to take part in the Tour de France.
UCI president, Pat McQuaid, stated that development followed talks requested by the Amaury Group, under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee and the mediation of former ski champion Jean-Claude Killy.
