Updates at UCI align Women's WorldTour with men's, labeling women's monumental races and increasing status for Tour de France Femmes.
Let's dive into the latest scoop from the UCI! After some major announcements last week regarding new tech rules and the 2026 race calendars, the cycling world is abuzz with excitement as they've rolled out even more changes. Here's a rundown of what we can expect:
Points System Overhaul for Women's Racing
Starting October 20, we'll see some slight adjustments to the men's race points system, but the real fireworks are happening with the women's side. The UCI is bringing in parity by instituting a new, five-tiered Women's WorldTour points system. Here's a quick rundown:
- 12 events offering 400 points for the winner
- 9 events offering 500 points, a mix of Classics and stage races
- 4 designated women's Classics (Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, and Liege-Bastogne-Liege) offering 800 points to the winner
- Giro d'Italia Women and Vuelta Femenina offering 1100 points to the winner
- The pinnacle event, the Tour de France Femmes, boasting 1300 points, nearly triple the max points for the previous system
There's also more value for wearing the leader's jersey in a stage race and winning secondary classifications in Grand Tours. Interestingly, this system is almost identical to the men's WorldTour allocation, proving that the UCI means business when it comes to equal opportunities.
On the men's side, the system has sleeked down from six tiers to five, with several races moving tier. Noteworthy changes include the UAE Tour being bumped up to the 500-point tier, and La Fleche Wallonne and Strade Bianche moving from the 400-point tier to the 500.
Safety and Race Neutralisations
Safety and race neutralisations are the other key changes in the new UCI regulations. As of July 1, a maximum stoppage time has been introduced for races that are interrupted due to weather or safety. The race must be restarted no later than 15 minutes after the initial halt, and the restart time must be clearly communicated via race radio.
From January 1, 2026, a new role called a 'regulator' will be introduced. This person will be responsible for overseeing rider safety during events and will follow the race on a motorbike as a passenger. This role will be mandatory for men's and women's WorldTour events, while ProSeries and Class 1 events will require one regulator, and other events it is "strongly recommended."
This new safety regulation is in conjunction with a test of maximum gearing that the UCI plans to implement later this year. For more details, head over to the UCI website and check out the full race rules, amendments, and memoranda, including a full breakdown of the points allocations.
Stay tuned for more updates as the UCI continues to redefine the cycling landscape!
Sports enthusiasts will be thrilled as the cycling world prepares for an array of sports events, including the Tour de France Femmes, which offers 1300 points, significantly more than the previous system. Additionally, safety measures are being enhanced with the introduction of a 'regulator' role, responsible for overseeing rider safety during events, starting from January 1, 2026.
