The Management Committee of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) met for its third ordinary session of the year from 24 to 26 September in Zurich, Switzerland, on the occasion of the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships.
At its meeting in June, the UCI Management Committee had taken a number of decisions - on the basis of recommendations drawn up by SafeR, the structure dedicated to safety which brings together representatives of all the stakeholders in road cycling - aimed at improving the safety of riders at road races (see press release on this subject). Since then, the recommended measures have undergone a test phase in various men's and women's races: introduction of a yellow card system, a framework for the wearing and use of earpieces during races, changes to the so-called ‘three kilometre’ (or ‘sprint zone’) rule and simplification of the method for calculating time gaps in stages with a bunch sprint finish. The initial results of the tests carried out by SafeR were presented to the Management Committee, pending a more detailed assessment at the end of the season.
Still on the subject of road cycling, the Management Committee decided to adjust the participation rules for the Men Under 23 category to take account of the increasingly high level of performance of riders in this category. As a result, from 2025, riders aged under 23 who have a contract with a professional team (UCI WorldTeam or UCI ProTeam) will no longer be able to take part in Men Under 23 category events at UCI World Championships and Continental Championships for road cycling. However, this rule will not apply to riders registered with a UCI WorldTeam or UCI ProTeam development team. As far as the UCI Worlds are concerned, this decision will apply for the first time at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Kigali (Rwanda), an edition of the event which, as a reminder, will see the appearance of the first race dedicated to the Women Under 23 category. Until now, the women in this category have raced alongside the Women Elite at the UCI Road Worlds, although a title is already awarded to them at the end of the race.
Decisions were also taken regarding the calendar for various disciplines. New dates have been set for the 2025 UCI Track World Championships in Santiago (Chile) and the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships in Nannup (Australia). These two events will take place respectively from 22 to 26 October (instead of 15 to 19 October), and 10 and 11 October (instead of 3 and 4 October).
With a view to the 2025 season, the UCI Management Committee also approved the following UCI International Calendars:
2025 UCI Road International Calendar
This calendar includes all event categories, but it should be noted that the UCI WorldTour and UCI Women's WorldTour calendars had already been approved last June by the UCI Management Committee, following their validation by the Professional Cycling Council. However, the UCI has now approved the addition of a new race to the UCI Women's WorldTour calendar, Milano-Sanremo Women, which will be held on 22 March 2025 before the men's edition of the event. This addition is further proof of the growth of women's professional road cycling. With regard to the UCI WorldTour, it should also be noted that the selection criteria for races applying for registration as UCI WorldTour events for the period 2026 - 2028 have been strengthened. Greater emphasis will be placed on the strategic fit of events on the UCI WorldTour calendar, on the assessment of their commercial value - including on the basis of engagement on social networks and television broadcasting -, on the sporting level of teams and riders in previous editions, and on the organisers' compliance with the UCI Regulations.
2025 UCI Mountain Bike International Calendar (including the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series)
2025 UCI BMX Racing International Calendar
2025 UCI BMX Freestyle International Calendar
2025 UCI Trials International Calendar
2025 UCI Track International Calendar
2025 UCI Para-cycling International Calendar
2025 UCI Indoor Cycling International Calendar.
All these calendars will be published in the dedicated section of the UCI website on 3 October.
The calendars for the UCI Series below have also been approved for the coming year - or two years - for BMX Racing, trials, grand fondo and gravel.
2025 UCI BMX Racing World Cup calendar
Rounds 1 and 2: 14-15 June in Sarrians (France)
Rounds 3 and 4: 21-22 June in Papendal (Netherlands)
Rounds 5 and 6: 20-21 September in Santiago del Estero (Argentina)
2026 UCI BMX Racing World Cup calendar
Rounds 1 and 2: 6-7 June in Sarrians (France)
Rounds 3 and 4: 13-14 June in Papendal (Netherlands)
The following rounds (5 to 8) will be submitted to the Management Committee for approval at its first meeting of 2025.
2025 UCI Trials World Cup calendar
4-7 July: Valbirse (Switzerland)
8-10 August: Krynica (Poland)
12-14 September: to be confirmed
2025 UCI Gran Fondo World Series calendar
2025 TREK UCI Gravel World Series calendar
The 2025 and 2026 editions of the UCI Trials World Youth Games have been allocated. The event will take place in Vic - Catalonia (Spain) from 25 to 27 July next year, then in Lausanne (Switzerland) from 24 to 26 June the following year.
The UCI World Championships awarded for the coming years will be announced at the end of the UCI Congress (being held today, 27 September).
Still on the subject of sporting events, an initial review of the recent Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games was presented to the members of the Management Committee. The two events were an unprecedented success, to which cycling made a very significant contribution, with equal participation quotas for men and women at the Olympic Games - a first -, around one million spectators at the roadside for the road races and fully occupied stands for the other disciplines on the programme (track, mountain bike, BMX Racing and BMX Freestyle).
In the area of integrity, the Management Committee approved the launch of a rewards programme to strengthen its fight against technological fraud (use of engines or other methods of propelling bicycles). The aim of the programme will be to encourage people with information on this subject to share it - confidentially - with the UCI in exchange for a financial reward. For further details: “UCI Policy – ‘Fight against Technological Fraud’ Rewards Programme”.
In the area of cycling development, the UCI Management Committee approved the creation of a UCI World Cycling Centre (WCC) Regional Development Satellite in Rwanda. It will have three sites, in Bugesera, Musanze and Rwamagana. This Regional Satellite, the first of its kind, will complete the existing network of UCI WCC Satellites, which covers all five continents. As part of a restructuring of the network, the Shuzenji Satellite in Japan will also become a UCI WCC Regional Development Satellite.
The Continental Development Satellites, the Regional Development Satellites and the UCI WCC - based in Aigle, Switzerland - work in close collaboration. All, at their respective levels, offer talented cyclists and their entourage training and/or education opportunities. This enables athletes to aim for a high-level cycling career, and their entourage to qualify in their chosen cycling profession. The Continental and Regional Satellites operate with the same vision as the UCI WCC, which is to play a driving role in the development of cycling and sporting excellence for the benefit of National Federations - particularly those with limited resources - and their members. The UCI WCC Satellites make a major contribution to the globalisation of cycling in all regions of the world, in line with the UCI's Agenda 2030.
The UCI WCC now has two Regional Development Satellites, in Rwanda and Shuzenji, and nine Continental Development Satellites, in Anadia (Portugal), Bromont (Canada), Cambridge (New Zealand), Couva (Trinidad and Tobago), Lima (Peru), New Delhi (India), Paarl (South Africa), Shanghai (China) and Yeongju (Korea).
In the field of cycling for all, the UCI Management Committee decided to award the UCI Bike City label to the province of Treviso (Italy) and the city of Tokyo (Japan). The UCI Bike City label rewards cities and regions that not only host major events on the UCI International Calendar, but are also committed to the development and promotion of cycling for all, particularly thanks to their infrastructure and programmes. The two new recipients join the network of 26 cities and regions that have already been awarded the UCI Bike City/Region label.
The Province of Treviso hosted the second UCI Gravel World Championships in 2023, as well as a round of the 2024 UCI Nations’ Cup Men Junior. It previously hosted several UCI World Championships: mountain bike marathon in 2011, cyclo-cross in 2008, and road in 1999 and 1985. The province has stepped up its efforts to promote cycling for all as part of the plan entitled ‘PRT Veneto 2030: Sustainable mobility for a connected and competitive Veneto’ adopted by the region to which it belongs. The Province of Treviso currently has 2,715km of bicycle lanes, and the aim is to increase this by 7% a year to reach 2,904km by 2025. Over the period 2023-2024, almost 47 million euros has been invested to achieve this goal and to optimise the current network. The province offers an attractive range of cycle tourism options, with 11 routes on its roads and 20 others dedicated to gravel, backed up by cyclist-friendly accommodation in more than half of the region's hotels. Some 200 mass events are organised every year. A wide range of facilities have been developed, including seven outdoor velodromes, five bike parks (mountain bike) and a BMX Freestyle park. There is also the forthcoming opening of the indoor velodrome at Spresiano, destined to become Italy's national velodrome, with a 250m track and capacity for around 6,000 spectators. The province of Treviso has also invested in a programme offering cycling lessons for 140 school classes. Finally, it has already invested 62 million euros in road safety for cyclists, signed the UCI's Climate Action Charter, and plans to reduce its carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2050.
Tokyo of course hosted the Olympic Games in 2021, with five cycling disciplines on the programme: road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing and BMX Freestyle. Also worth mentioning is the Tour of Japan (a class 2.2 event on the UCI Road International Calendar since 1996), whose final stage is traditionally decided in the Japanese capital, and the launch of a new race on the UCI International Calendar, The Road Race Tokyo Tama 2025. In 2021, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government launched a plan to promote the use of bicycles. The plan, which runs until 2030, is based on the following four pillars: creating a bike-friendly environment through cycling infrastructure, improving health through fulfilling and physically active lifestyles with bicycles, promoting bicycle tourism, and improving safety for cyclists. Tokyo aims to increase its cycle network from 403km to 621km, with the aim of improving cyclists’ safety. The Grand Cycle Tokyo Tama, a mass-participation race, has been held every year since 2023 on the Olympic route. It is one of the events created as a legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to increase the use of bicycles. The initiative is part of Tokyo's environmental master plan, which aims to reduce its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In 2024, the city spent some 37 million euros on cycling-related projects, including infrastructure development, event organisation, environmental transport policies, education and encouraging changes in behaviour.
Still in the field of cycling for all, the UCI Management Committee awarded the organisation of the 2025 and 2026 editions of the UCI Mobility and Bike City Forum to the cities of Copenhagen (Denmark) and Quebec (Canada) respectively. The 2025 edition will be held on 20 and 21 June, alongside the Copenhagen Sprint, a new UCI WorldTour event, while the 2026 edition will take place alongside the Mont-Sainte-Anne round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. The UCI Mobility and Bike City Forum is the UCI's annual conference dedicated to promoting sustainable and active mobility. It brings together the transport and cycling communities, as well as representatives from the UCI Bike City and Region network, National Federations, Continental Confederations, event organisers, city representatives, cycling advocates and industry experts. The 2024 edition of the event will take place on 18 and 19 December in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates).
At the end of the three-day meeting, UCI President David Lappartient said: “After the phenomenally successful Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, to which cycling made a significant contribution, the UCI has taken a number of decisions to support and stimulate the unprecedented development that cycling has undergone in recent years. The modification of the rules for participation in the Men Under 23 category, for example, shows that the level of our sport continues to progress. In another area, that of solidarity, the opening of a UCI World Cycling Centre Regional Development Satellite in Rwanda, one year before the UCI Road World Championships which will take place there and will be the first to be held on the African continent, accompanies the arrival of Africa in high-level cycling. The year 2025 promises to be another landmark season for our sport.”
The next meeting of the UCI Management Committee will take place on 30 and 31 January 2025 in Arras (France), during the 2025 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Liévin