2018 Grand Tour Teams Reduced to Eight Riders
2018 World Tour Teams reduced from nine riders to eight and the Tour de France will start a week later to avoid clashing with the football World Cup
The International Cycling Union (UCI) said in a statement on Thursday that its Professional Cycling Council (PCC) applied the change which would come into effect in 2018.
The move to reduce the size of teams has been on the table for safety reasons and will make it harder for leading teams to control races.
“The size of teams taking part in the three Grand Tours will be reduced from the current nine to eight, thereby reducing the peloton size to a maximum of 176 and assisting in efforts to ensure the safety of the peloton and the rest of the race convoy,” a UCI statement said.
“It is intended that the maximum peloton size for other races in the UCI WorldTour and the UCI Continental Circuits will also be reduced to 176, with the regulations to put this into effect being submitted for approval in due course.
“These changes will be effective from the 2018 season.”
