2014 UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT)

From UCI:

After a very successful season in 2013, the UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT) enters 2014 with much exciting news and some very positive changes.

While our classic European qualification venues such as Italy, Belgium, Spain, France and Austria continue to increase international participation numbers every year, our other non-traditional European venues such as Greece and Denmark have been busy leading the change in their cycling culture. Whereas South Africa, Australia, Brazil and the USA continue to establish their events as great celebrations of international cycling. Moving forward for 2014, two new events will appear on the calendar: Mexico City and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Maraton Franja (Ljubljana, Slovenia) will be the venue of both a qualifier event and the UCI Amateur Road World Championships.

Stage Races
As a greater number of riders take on preparations on par with that of the pros for their upcoming racing season, training camps in warmer countries are quickly becoming a very attractive addition to their programs. And for those who are looking for a bit more excitement in their camps, stage races are the answer. New in 2014, there are two early qualifier stage race events that can fit perfectly for this purpose. Perth is the first one with a time trial on Friday, a traditional lap road race on Saturday and a new Granfondo style race on Sunday. Crete is next, hosting a stage race with a time trial and two road races. Leader jerseys will be given to the leaders of the general classification. Riders will also have the opportunity to skip one race day.

Age groups combined
Another change is the combination of the two youngest age groups into one new 19-34 age group. The challenger class will cease to exist while all remaining age groups will continue to have the chance to compete for the official UCI Rainbow Jersey.

Amateur Road World Championships
The UWCT Final has officially changed its name to UCI Amateur Road World Championships. This event will be held in Ljubljana, Slovenia from 28-31 August 2014. The younger age groups will compete on a 157km course while the older age groups will have 100km to cover. The 19km time trial is a real classic one; totally flat and windy. As in 2013, there will again be a team relay event in the program.

2014 Calendar
Sun 15 Sep 2013 Amy's GF Lorne Australia
26-27 Oct 2013 Msunduzi Road Challenge Pietermaritzburg South Africa
28-30 Mar 2014 UWCT Perth Perth Australia
Sun 6 Apr 2014 Copa 100k Recife Brazil
18-20 Apr 2014 Copa Ciudad de Mexico Mexico City Mexico
25-27 Apr 2014 Cretan Amateur Cycling Tour Chania Greece
17-18 May 2014 Tour of Winston-Salem Winston-Salem USA
Sun 18 May 2014 La Look Nevers France
30 May ? 1 Jun 2014 Copenhagen Gran Fondo Copenhagen Denmark
31 May ? 1 Jun 2014 UWCT Putrajaya Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
6-8 Jun 2014 Maraton Franja Ljubljana Slovenia
Sun 15 Jun 2014 Sankt Poltner Radmarathon Sankt Pölten Austria
Sun 22 Jun 2014 GF Eddy Merckx Andenne Belgium
18-20 Jul 2014 La leggendaria Charly Gaul Trento Italy
Sat 23 Aug 2014 Val d'Aran Cycling Tour Vielha Spain
28-31 Aug 2014 Amateur Road World Champ. Ljubljana Slovenia

In a partnership with renown Belgian sports marketing agency Golazo, the UCI has created the UWCT Corporation. This corporation will be responsible for the overall organization, coordination and marketing aspects of the UWCT qualifier events.

Details at  www.uciworldcyclingtour.com


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2013 UCI World Cycling Tour: On the road to the Final in Italy

The mythic Giro d’Italia climb, Monte Bondone, will be the ultimate challenge for the cyclists who qualify for a starting slot in the Final of this year’s UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT). After Finals in Belgium (2011) and South Africa (2012), the 2013 UWCT Final will be the most challenging yet, starting in downtown Trento and finishing with the 20km climb to the top of Monte Bondone, which towers 1654 meters above the Italian town.

To get there, riders will have to qualify at one of 14 qualifier events held throughout the world. Some have already earned the right to compete in the Final at the first event in Lorne, Australia, and the next opportunity comes this Sunday, April 7 th , in Saint Tropez (France). The UWCT moves back to Australia one week later for another warm, coastal event: this time in Perth.

In May the UWCT arrives in the state of New York (USA), opening the season in North America. This will be followed by the Copenhagen Gran Fondo, where the UCI Bike City expects to draw participants from Scandinavia and further afield for its road race and time trial. Chania, on the Greek Island of Crete, and Belgium also host their qualifier events in May.

In June, the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana will show why it was recently announced host city of the 2014 UWCT Final. Its road race is one of the biggest and most traditional in the series, with the city centre fully closed for cyclists. The second event of the month will take riders through the rolling mountains of Austria to St. Polten, situated not far from Vienna.

The month of July will give riders a chance to preview the most challenging UWCT Final ever. The qualifier event in Trento will feature most of the climbs and scenery of this season’s Final. In August and September, Brazil and Spain provide the last opportunities for riders to qualify for this legendary Final.

Trento is pulling out all the stops to ensure that competitors in the 2013 UWCT Final (formerly the Road Masters World Championships) enjoy an unforgettable experience. The rainbow colors will be everywhere and the top of the famous Giro d’Italia climb, Monte Bondone itself, will be standing like a podium for the ones who reach its summit.

About the UCI World Cycling Tour
The UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT) is a series of UCI-sanctioned races held all over the world. Some 15 qualifier events will qualify the top 25% in each age group for the UWCT
Final, the former UCI Masters Road World Championships, where the champions are awarded with the coveted rainbow jersey.

More information : www.uciworldcyclingtour.com

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UCI World Cycling Tour for Amateurs Announced

The UCI today announced details of the UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT) for amateur cyclists. We reported the first mention of this in the story about the Gran Fondo NY which mentioned they would be one of the events of the series.

Thus far, no Italian granfondo events have been chosen as part of the series. Odd!

The UCI announcement (including the events and dates in French for some reason):

UCI World Cycling Tour: A chance for amateurs to don the rainbow jersey

It’s official: Amateur cyclists now have the chance to earn a coveted UCI rainbow jersey. Launched for 2011, the UCI World Cycling Tour(UWCT) is a series of events for amateurs. Through qualifier events around the world, riders can obtain a place to participate in the UWCT Final, with a world title for their respective age group as the ultimate goal.

With this new series, the International Cycling Union (UCI) targets well trained amateurs: in other words, the typical profile of the Gran Fondo rider.

UCI President Pat McQuaid explains: “It’s no coincidence that the UWCT and the UCI WorldTour (former ProTour) have such similar names. We want the amateur cyclist who is devoted to the sport to have a taste of high level racing, and ultimately race for a World Champion title. The UWCT is how we are going to take amateur cycling to the next level. We are really looking forward to the opening of the series."

Racing on three continents

The UWCT will comprise a maximum of 15 qualifier events. For 2011, seven races have already been confirmed: two legs in the United States and one each in Australia, Portugal, Slovenia, Belgium and Switzerland. Negotiations are still under way for qualifier events in Spain, the United Kingdom, Greece, Denmark and France.

All qualifier events will be raced over a course of between 100 and 180 km. Organisers have the opportunity to opt for either a one-loop stage or a smaller circuit to be covered several times. The start may be given en masse or by age group. Time trial events will also take place in some qualifiers, covering distances between 20 and 40 km.

Les épreuves qualificatives confirmées pour l’année 2011 sont les suivantes:

• 14 et 16 avril: Perth (Australie)
• 8 mai: Gran Fondo New York (USA)
• 15 mai: Gran Fondo Eddy Merckx - Village Palmela (Portugal)
Gran Fondo Eddy Merckx, scheduled May 15 in the UWCT calendar, will change date to May 8. The organizer has found a partner in the city of Evora and will therefore change the venue of the race to Evora, 130 km from the capital of Lisbon.
• 12 juin: Marathon Franja BTC (Slovénie)
• 18 juin: Gran Fondo Eddy Merckx (Belgique)
• 20 et 21 août: Echelon Gran Fondo Colorado / Fort Collins (USA)
• 28 août : Gruyère Cycling Tour (SUI)

Finales UWCT 2011 :
• 10-11 septembre 2011: Stavelot, province de Liège, Belgique

The UWCT kick-off event will present athletes with Australian sunshine and hospitality. Perth is a buzzing metropolis blessed with a favourable climate and white sandy beaches overlooking the Indian Ocean.

New York will provide a contrasting backdrop for the second qualifier event: after the start close to Central Park, riders will cross the iconic George Washington Bridge with stunning views of Manhattan.

Portugal is the first European port of call with the Gran Fondo Eddy Merckx in Palmela. This charming small town, built around a fortified castle, lies at the heart of one of the country’s richest wine-growing regions.

Slovenia’s traditional Franja Marathon also joins the UWCT series. This popular event, which attracts thousands of participants every year, takes riders around the capital of Ljubljana, which will be completely closed for the race.

Belgium will host the next European event, with the Gran Fondo Eddy Merckx. The race starts and finishes on the famous Mur of Huy. The Cannibal himself will start the race along the difficult course of the beautiful Condroz region.

The Echelon Gran Fondo Colorado starting in Fort Collins will take riders to the Rocky Mountains and the Rist Canyon. It is a demanding race but the riders will be more than rewarded with the beauty of the surrounding landscapes, old mining towns and impressive lakes.

Finally, the Gruyère Cycling Tour in Switzerland will provide the last opportunity for cyclists to qualify for the Worlds. This event, which has been a popular race on Switzerland’s cycling calendar for more than 10 years, takes riders through some of the country’s breathtaking mountain scenery.

At the end of September, Australia will host the first qualifier event for the UWCT Final in 2012.

UWCT Final

The best age-goupers in each qualifier event will automatically have the right to compete in the UWCT Final.

This year, the region of Liège, in Belgium, is proud to host the World Championships, which will take place during the weekend of 10th September.

Although the exact location has not yet been finalized, the Provincial Commissioner for Sport, Christophe Lacroix, says the plan is to race over a circuit of around 100km, reeling in the monumental climbs of Liège-Bastogne-Liège such as Côte de Wanne, Rosier and Vecquée. The race will probably conclude with five laps on a local circuit. Stavelot, a little gem of an Ardennes town, is currently the main candidate to stage both the start and finish.

Competition and tourism combined

All races on the UWCT calendar must meet strict organisational criteria and offer added touristic value. Therefore, the UCI has signed a partnership with sports marketing agency Golazo Sports, in order to create the UWCT Corporation, which will take on the overall organisation, coordination and marketing of the qualifier races.

Christophe Impens, Managing Director of Golazo Sports, says, "Participants in the UWCT will have the chance to discover some of the world's most beautiful regions and participate in fantastic events that are accessible to everyone. By combining both attractive competitions and touristic interest in the regions, we should be able to see the long-term success of the UWCT."

More information on www.uciworldcyclingtour.com



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Share your story. Write a story about your cycling trip, or an aspect of your trip, in Italy. Or, it can be about a granfondo experience, a special encounter, your favorite ride, etc. The period for story submissions for prizes will be January 1-February 15, 2011. Prizes will be awarded on a random basis, stories will not be judged on which is the "best" one. Nevertheless, it should be a good story for the enjoyment of all readers. Photos accompanying the story are most welcome. If you have any questions email me at veronaman@gmail.com. See photos of prizes here. Prize donated by:
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Gran Fondo New York Joins UCI World Cycling Tour

This article is in two parts: 1) the UCI announcement of the launch of the "UCI World Cycling Tour" (UWCT), and 2) the announcement by the Gran Fondo New York indicating that the event is a qualifier for the UWCT final to be held in Belgium.

The following announcement was made by the UCI on 12.11.2010:
UCI World Cycling Tour: Cycling enthusiasts can become World Champions

A new cycling tour for amateur riders that will ultimately crown age group World Champions is being launched by the UCI in 2011.

The UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT) is a series of UCI-sanctioned races that will be held all over the world. The UWCT will comprise a maximum of 15 qualifier events, leading to the UWCT Final, the former UCI Masters Road World Championships. The top 10% in each age group of the qualifier events will automatically have the right to compete in the UWCT Final and race for the coveted UCI rainbow jersey.

The UCI’s Cycling for All, Masters and Sustainable Development Coordinator, Ms Andrea Marcellini Mendonça, explains the importance of this amateur tour: “If we look at cycling as a pyramid, professional racing is at the very top and occupies a very small portion. Everything that comes below this is the amateur side of the sport and involves impressive numbers of riders. These enthusiasts are part of the UCI family and it’s time for them to race for a World Champion title”.

Another aim of this new initiative is to contribute to the international promotion of the UCI’s “Cycling for All” events. All races on the UWCT calendar must meet strict organisational and sporting criteria, and provide a certain touristic interest.

In order to host the qualifier events of the UWCT, the UCI is currently receiving applications from regions willing to organise a high standard cycling event that will attract riders from all over the world.

The Gran Fondo New York issues this press release today:
Gran Fondo New York joins International Cycling Union's World Cycling Tour and becomes a qualifying event for the 2011 Amateur Cycling World Championship in Belgium
Gran Fondo New York is excited to be a qualifying race of the UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT) for the 2011 UCI Amateur Cycling World Championship. UWCT is rewriting the history of amateur cycling. Athletes of all ages will gather at events across the globe to chase the dream of competing at the World Championship. As one of six qualifying events in 2011, Gran Fondo New York sends the top 10% of each Age Group to Belgium where the World Championship finale will take place on the famed roads of of the Belgian classic Liège-Bastogne-Liège.


At Gran Fondo New York, the competition consists of four challenging climbs that will be timed and count towards UCI Amateur World Championship qualification. The four timed climbs are added together to determine a total time and the overall ranking. The top 10% of each Age Group will qualify for the 2011 UWCT World Championship in Belgium. Furthermore, the introduction of a Challenger Category gives an opportunity to showcase young talent in the ranks to become professional cyclists of the future.

The World Championship final will be a city to city race in Belgium in early September. The race will start with a loop of 100 km (60 miles) over the monuments of Liège-Bastogne-Liège with Cote de Stoumont, Cote de Wanne, Cote de la Haute Levée, Cote du Rosier, Cote de la Vecquee, Cote de Macquisard and finally Cote de la Redoute. After the initial course, riders will do five local laps in Remouchamps-Aywaille. Each loop will include a steep 1 kilometer climb per lap (14k).

The world's cyclists are getting excited about Gran Fondo New York. The event is drawing a strong local, national and very international field with athletes representing 31 countries. Lidia Fluhme, the race organizer, points out: "The competition for World Championship qualification and the great awards prizes will be fierce at Gran Fondo New York. We joined the UCI World Cycling Tour series because we strongly believe in the future of amateur racing. Triathlon and running have shown the importance of including amateurs in key events to ensure sustainability and growth."

Prizes at GFNY are valued at more than $100,000. Winners of all categories will receive special winners' jerseys by Giordana. Podium finishers of all categories win fantastic prizes from event sponsors. The King and Queen of Mountain will ride home on their new PINARELLO road bikes. Other prizes include MAVIC racing wheels, DIADORA shoes, LIMAR helmets and shades, SELLE SAN MARCO saddles and much, much more. Additionally, raffle prizes will be distributed throughout the awards ceremony.

For more information visit www.granfondony.com

I have not yet heard of which other events have applied for UWCT status. Any information welcome. The concept of the UCI's involvement in gran fondo/sportive type events is interesting.

Follow on Twitter: ITALIANCYCJOURN

Share your story. Write a story about your cycling trip, or an aspect of your trip, in Italy. Or, it can be about a granfondo experience, a special encounter, your favorite ride, etc. The period for story submissions for prizes will be January 1-February 15, 2011. Prizes will be awarded on a random basis, stories will not be judged on which is the "best" one. Nevertheless, it should be a good story for the enjoyment of all readers. Photos accompanying the story are most welcome. If you have any questions email me at veronaman@gmail.com. See photos of prizes here. Prize donated by:
CycleItalia, specializing in cycling tours in Italy
BicycleGifts.com, the premiere site for gifts and merchandise for cyclists
Enzo’s ButtonHole Chamois Cream,chamois cream for the ultimate protection
FreeBirdVelo, Italian themed T-shirts
Strada Hand Built Wheels, custom wheel building
Velo-Retro, all things retro for cycling
La Gazzetta della Bici, massage oils for cyclists
Albabici, high-end Italian cycling products distributor