WorldTour Race Schedule for 2015

List of the biggest baddest pro bike races in the world!

This year, the list of UCI WorldTour races is long and familiar, all races remain the same as in 2014, except the Tour of Beijing which is no longer part of the UCI WorldTour. The names are the same, but most of the routes differ year to year. For the next few months your Sundays will be busy.

This weekend Paris-Nice begins! It is promised to be big. Who will be there - all the usual main season suspects: Carlos Betancur, Romain Bardet, Tejay van Garderen, Fabio Aru, Michal Kwiatkowski, Tom Dumoulin, Richie Porte, Gerraint Thomas, Michael Matthews, John Degenkolb, Alexander Kristoff, and Bradley Wiggins (in a supporting role).

We can watch the Paris-Nice race Live starting at 14:00 CET (5:00am. EDT, 7:00am MDT), simply check in for links at Steephill.TV or CyclingFans. And then do the same for all the other races listed below.

Dates of 2015 UCI WorldTour Races (27)

January 17-25, 2015 - Santos Tour Down Under (Australia)
March 8-15, 2015 - Paris - Nice (France)
March 11-17, 2015 - Tirreno-Adriatico (Italy)
March 22, 2015 - Milano-Sanremo (Italy)
March 23-29, 2015 - Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (Spain)
March 27, 2015 - E3 Harelbeke (Belgium) 
March 29, 2015 - Gent - Wevelgem (Belgium)
April 5, 2015 - Ronde van Vlaanderen / Tour des Flandres (Belgium)
April 6 - 11, 2015 - Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco (Spain)
April 12, 2015 - Paris - Roubaix (France)
April 19, 2015 - Amstel Gold Race (The Netherlands)
April 22, 2015 - La Flèche Wallonne (Belgium) 
April 26, 2015 - Liège - Bastogne - Liège (Belgium)  
April 28-May 3, 2015 - Tour de Romandie (Switzerland)
May 9-31, 2015 - Giro d'Italia (Italy)
June 7-14, 2015 - Critérium du Dauphiné (France)
June 13-21, 2105 - Tour de Suisse (Switzerland)
July 4-26, 2015 - Tour de France (France)
August 1, 2015 - Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian (Spain)
August 2-8-2015 - Tour de Pologne (Poland)
August 10-16, 2015 - Eneco Tour (The Netherlands)
August 22-Sept 13, 2015 - Vuelta a España (Spain)
August 23, 2015 - Vattenfall Cyclassics (Germany)
August 30, 2015 - GP Ouest France - Plouay (France)
September 11, 2015 - Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec (Canada)
September 13, 2015 - Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal (Canada)
October 4, 2015 - Il Lombardia (Italy)

Let's look at the planned routes (parcours) for some of the WorldTour races:

2015 Paris - Nice route map: Sunday, March 8-15, 2015

Official website route description: The 73rd edition of Paris-Nice will set out from Maurepas in the Yvelines district on Sunday after a series of events dedicated to cycling on Saturday. The race will then begin its southbound journey towards its first ever date with the col de la Croix de Chaubouret near Saint Etienne. The action will be beamed to 170 countries across the globe.

Route of 2015 Paris-Nice

2015 Milan-San Remo route map: Sunday, March 22, 2015

CyclingNews route description: RCS Sport published the route map and profile of the 293km route on Friday, confirming that no extra climb will be added to tip the race in the favour of the climbers. RCS Sport was hit by a backlash of criticism by riders and fans who made it clear they preferred the finely balanced traditional race route. Via Roma will again host the likely sprint finish after a seven-year absence.

Route of 2015 Milano Sanremo

2015 Ronde van Vlaanderen route map: race time table: Sunday, April 5, 2015

Official website route description: Bruges Perfect Starting decor remains ' Flanders' Most Beautiful ' . After passing through the center of Kortrijk and Zwevegem , the village of 'De Ronde ' course is being put towards the Flemish Ardennes. After 100 kilometers follows the first pass through Oudenaarde. The capital of the Flemish Ardennes, in recent years demonstrated its value as a point of arrival. (gotta love translated text)

2015 route of Ronde van Vlaanderen

2015 Paris - Roubaix route map: Sunday, April 12, 2015

Official website route description: With a total distance of 253 kilometres between Compiègne and the Roubaix velodrome, the 113th edition of the Queen of the Classics, which will take place on 12th April, holds 52.7 km of cobbles in store for the riders (1.6 km more than in 2014). The cobbles will be spread over 27 sections, three of which will also be on the programme for the 4th stage of the Tour de France

The cobble sections included in both Paris-Roubaix and the 4th stage of the Tour de France 2015:
Quiévy (after 107.5 km – 3,700 m)
Saint-Python (after 112.5 km – 1,500 m)
Verchain-Maugré (after 130 km – 1,600 m)

 - - - final route map not yet released - - -


2015 Giro d'Italia route map: 3-weeks, starting Saturday, May 9-31, 2015

Official website route start description: The 2015 Giro d’Italia will kick off on the 9th of May, with an 18km team time trial along the coast between San Lorenzo al Mare to San Remo. The 98th edition of the Corsa Rosa will run over 21 stages to the 31st of May and the organisers, RCS Sport/La Gazzetta dello Sport, have announced all three opening stages will take place in the picturesque region of Liguria, which sits on the Italian Riviera.

Route of 2015 Giro d'Italia

2015 Critérium du Dauphiné route map: Sunday, June 7-14, 2015

 - - - final route map not yet released - - - 


2015 Tour de France route map: 3-weeks, starting Saturday, July 4-26, 2015

Official website route description: Running from Saturday July 4th to Sunday July 26th 2015, the 102^th Tour de France will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,344 kilometres (before ratification). This 21st Grand Départ from abroad will also be the 6th from the Netherlands which is a record. The Tour will then spend two days in Belgium before reaching France.

Read more, Pedal Dancer: Route of the 2015 Tour de France announced.

Route of 2015 Tour de France

2015 Vuelta a España route map: 3-weeks, starting Saturday, August 22-Sept 13, 2015

Official website route description: Running from Saturday August 22nd to Sunday September 13th 2015, the Vuelta will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,374.4 kilometres.  The first four stages will take place on Malaga territory.

2015 route of Vuelta a España

Who won the WorldTour Races in 2014?

Looking at who won the key races last year, will quickly tell you the type of rider that will likely win in 2015. It is clear the same riders do not always win, but Gerrans, Valverde, Contador, and Kristoff were all in the news a lot in 2015. Alejandro Valverde easily won the most overall points for the 2014 WorldTour.

The winners:

Santos Tour Down Under - Simon Gerrans (AUS)
Paris-Nice - Carlos Betancur (COL)
Tirreno-Adriatico - Alberto Contador (ESP)
Milano-Sanremo - Alexander Kristoff (NOR)
Volta Ciclista a Catalunya - Joaquim Rodriquez (ESP)
E3 Harelbeke - Peter Sagan (SVK)
Gent - Wevelgem - John Degenkolb (GER)
Ronde van Vlaanderen / Tour des Flandres - Fabian Cancellara (SUI)
Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco - Alberto Contador (ESP)
Paris - Roubaix - Niki Terpstra (NED)
Amstel Gold Race - Philippe Gilbert (BEG)
La Flèche Wallonne - Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
ALiège-Bastogne-Liège - Simon Gerrans (AUS)
Tour de Romandie - Chris Froome (GBR)
Giro d'Italia - Nairo Quintana (COL)
Critérium du Dauphiné - Andrew Talansky (USA)
Tour de Suisse - Rui Costa (POR)
Tour de France - Vincenzo Nibali (ITA)
Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian - Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
Tour de Pologne - Rafal Majka (POL)
Eneco Tour - Tim Wellens (BEL)
Vuelta a España - Alberto Contador (ESP)
Vattenfall Cyclassics - Alexander Kristoff (NOR)
GP Ouest France-Plouay - Sylvain Chavanel (FRA)
Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec - Simon Gerrans (AUS)
Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal - Simon Gerrans (AUS)
Il Lombardia - Dan Martin (IRL)
Tour of Beijing - Philippe Gilbert (BEL)  *no longer in the WorldTour

Team Time Trial at the 2014 World Championships: BMC Racing Team

See also: Pedal Dancer Spring Classics Schedule for 2015
More race dates at: Pedal Dancer CALENDAR OF RACES AND EVENTS Guide Page

The day that pro cycling died

December 10, 2014 

Yesterday was a tough day personally. Surprisingly I headed into the day holding onto a small morsel of hope that the cycling world could be set back on track, a track which had been anything but straight and narrow for decades. By late morning that hope was dashed, gone with the news that the UCI and License Commission had awarded Team Astana a 2015 WorldTour License.

We can get into talk of probationary periods, legal evidence and rules, but these topics apply only when you are in the meetings and extremely close to the situation (or the bank accounts). It doesn't require too many steps back from the center of the storm to realize that most people were expecting a change to be loudly made. This time we really needed a demonstration of leadership.

In the weeks ahead of the licensing decision by UCI, the media embarked on a heavy campaign - digging through their archives - to write any additional information they had to throw in the incriminating pot of "they did wrong" against Astana. By Tuesday, people held their breath, the hope held dear - UCI has no choice, they must not give Astana the license, it is the only right thing to do.

Apparently in a cheating sport, right has no place.

On Wednesday, December 10th, the international governing body of professional cycling demonstrated, through their timid actions (report), that they have no real power at this point in time to correct the invalidity of the sport of cycling. A license was granted to Astana, a team with five recent positive doping samples from five athletes and a long history of trouble, yet denied to the Europcar team for insufficient financing.

From my view, I can no longer look at any bike race and know the best man will win. Instead I know the best cheater will win. I had hoped that reality would be corrected in the new era of cycling, it will not. It is clear the story of changes in cycling was PR to keep the sponsor dollars flowing and the fans coming (which is what the sponsors want).

It becomes senseless to spend time in the future getting excited about a competition, or promoting an event, when I can only visualize the outcome resembling the last 1 kilometer of the 2012 Olympic road race when the known doper Alexandre Vinokourov effortlessy broke free to win the gold medal with the peloton left staring ahead defenseless. My heart sunk knowing Vinokourov would be Olympic Champion for four years; my heart sinks every time I look at the seven-year gap in the history of the Tour de France; my heart sinks every time I realize a young athlete will be forced to dope to compete.

My mind becomes numb in trying to find some reason to continue to support professional cycling.

Yesterday voices were heard denouncing the UCI's actions, voices were heard commending the outcome, photos were seen of the Astana team celebrating with champagne. But tell me this - what rider wants to compete against a corrupt team, what sponsor wants to give money to either have their brand name tarnished by doping or watch their clean team consistently lose?

Why would any young rider want the shame of declaring he or she is a professional cyclist? Why would any sponsor support a corrupt sport? Why would any fan want to spend their time on the events of a cheating sport? I don't think the UCI fully realizes how many fans finally had enough yesterday and turned their backs on the highest level of professional cycling.

If I were a sponsor, I would immediately redirect my dollars to recreational cycling, to local events, to young junior riders and to the MAMILS of the world. There is no reason not to refocus our attention on the common man who loves riding on two wheels. It is the every day cyclist who is a much more noble cause than a cheating pro.

 - - - 

I was going to make plans to attend the 2015 Tour de France, I was going to make plans to attend the 2015 World Championships in Richmond, VA, I was going to make plans to attend the 2015 USA Pro Challenge in Colorado - instead I think I will take my own trips in 2015 to ride my own bike and not waste my time on what will be a corrupt outcome in a corrupt sport. I'd rather hang out with my friends and stay healthy.

Any sponsors interested in following the exodus from pro cycling can find the Regular Joe Cyclists out on the road using your products themselves. Come join us for some good honest fun. 

We'll be out doing it ourselves. Riding with my brother in the Alps - photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer.

Update 12/16/14: The highly respected voice of America sport - Juliet Macur - has written an honest article about the Steve Johnson finally departing USA Cycling. Executive’s Ride Into Sunset Signals Brighter Day for U.S.A. Cycling, By Juliet Macur for The New York Times.

Related Posts by Pedal Dancer: The structure of cycling in America

Update Feb/March 2015:

• UCI requests withdrawal of Astana Pro Team license, By VeloNews
• Astana given deadline for licence withdrawal defence By Cycling Weekly
• UCI moves to revoke licence of Vincenzo Nibali’s team Astana, By The Guardian
• UCI wants Astana team stripped of license, By NBS Sports
• Cycling Authority Recommends Withdrawal of Astana Pro Team License, By The Wall Street Journal
• Astana talking with lawyers after UCI request licence withdrawal, by CyclingNews

Meanwhile, I did not quite give up, I did spend the recent months updating the Pedal Dancer Guide Pages to:

• PRO TEAMS
• PRO RIDERS
• CALENDAR OF RACES AND EVENTS
• TOUR DE FRANCE
• SPRING CLASSICS
• TOUR OF CALIFORNIA

The structure of cycling in America

The levels of bike racing in the United States

Recently I attended an annual awards party for local road bike racing in Colorado; dinner was served before presentations and honors were awarded. Across the table from me sat four young, very talented, bike racers who had raced in the Juniors 17-18 year-old category for the past year. For them it was far more than a year, it had been years of racing and friendships formed by being on the same bike team. Even at their young age, I could tell their identity as bike racers had been forged. "What is next for you?" I asked with true interest. "Not sure, we will try to stay involved."

Theirs seems a fragile age of talent on the brink of waste. If they want more, these young men must be both judged and proven good enough to follow a selective path to national and international development. In addition they must completely devote themselves - and thereby their families - to the job of becoming a pro rider. A job which entails mandatory team contracts year after year, sacrifice, discipline and focus.

Their other possibility is heading to university, where few (but some) schools offer collegiate cycling teams. Only twenty-one colleges sustain official cycling teams across our nation. The remaining young riders have the option to compete in local bike races against grown men who have two or three $10,000 bikes each with excess money for gadgets and personal coaches. Their youthful identity and potential shelved through college, career building and a growing family, they wait to pounce on their big identity comeback as a local amateur hero, consuming their family weekends and holidays to attend bike races.

For some, this is enough, but for others, life begins or is altered at age 17.

How many of us want to be judged at age seventeen? How many of us were that solid at such a young age that talent, awareness, determination, tough mind, tougher body, money, support, means, guidance, opportunity and a good coach all aligned to make dreams happen? That is why continuing support of age 17 to 23 (U23, under age 23) programs are critical in the formation of a good racer.

I have a dear friend who - although he came from impeccable cycling genes - did not begin bike racing until age 24. Within a few stellar years he earned his place on an American Continental team. Although his ability is impressively strong, the sacrifices he has made for his love of bike racing are both scary and admirable.

Not every young bike racer is so lucky or so daring.  The organizational structure of cycling in America is critical in building a strong foundation for the sport for all ages, but for the rider age 17 to 23 - sponsorship, anti-doping, good equipment, proper physical training, respectful coaching, team unity and recognition of hard work is vital.

So much must fall in place for the potential of an athlete to be realized.

I think running might be a much easier sport to pursue. Cycling is not easy: it is not consistently available throughout our nation and it receives little overall attention, with less money. Yet I couldn't help but watch the 2014 Tour de France in admiration and wonder "Who is in charge of junior/U-23 development in France (and Belgium), because they appear to be doing a lot of things right?" No matter the nationality - young fresh talent might just save this sport in crisis.

How bike racing works in America (facts)

• 2,700+ bike clubs and teams, high school teams, adjunct junior teams (find a club)
• 57 Junior only bike clubs and teams 
• 11 honored centers of excellence Junior and Under-23 development teams
• 21 Collegiate Varsity (and emerging varsity) teams
• 34 local bike racing associations (state or regional) 
• 7 USA sport committees (BMX, Collegiate, Cyclo, Mountain Bike, Pro, Road, and Track)
• 1 American governing body - USA Cycling
• 1 International governing body - Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)

This is a long list of organizations, we can be quick tp realize this much bureaucracy teeters on really good people doing a really good job, or bad people doing a lousy job and messing it all up. Sadly, sport can shred the potential in good individuals through poor administration.

In 2013, leadership at the top level of UCI changed hands to British citizen Brian Cookson (Cookson presents re-worked cycling reforms to race organisers By CyclingNews). Improvements to the organization have been quick, slow, controversial and ongoing; so much more needs to be done. Major personnel changes also took place at USA Cycling in 2014, even more changes can be expected there through 2015. Changes are needed all around to manage growth in the lower ranks and recession in the upper ranks, plus dismal reputation of the sport.

Update 12/09/14: Steve Johnson to step down as CEO of USA Cycling, by Cycling News
Update 12/16/14: The highly respected voice of America sport - Juliet Macur - has written an honest article about Steve Johnson finally departing USA Cycling. Executive’s Ride Into Sunset Signals Brighter Day for U.S.A. Cycling, By Juliet Macur for The New York Times.

History of USA Cycling's name

1921 - The Amateur Bicycle League of America
1975 - United States Cycling Federation (USCF)
1995 - USA Cycling (USAC)
 
Programs and events nationwide to create better bike racers or more cyclists

• Cycling Advocacy Organizations
• USA Cycling certified coaching program
• Bike club clinics and training rides
• Local bike racing associations' development camps & seminars
• Local amateur, collegiate, regional, and national racing calendar and events
• Over 3,000 USA Cycling sanctioned events a year
• National Collegiate events and Regional Collegiate Conferences
• National Championships (annual)
• World Championships (annual)
• Olympics

Tremendous growth in bike racing was realized over the past five years in both the upper age-ranges (35+ to 55+) and the junior programs. Youthful discovery in sport often takes a planned course through junior development to pro level racing, but there is no one way to achieve success in cycling. Much of it has to do with getting that lucky break or getting along with people. And spending a lot of time racing in the saddle.

Opportunities for select individuals only and Teams

• USA Cycling National Development Program
• USA Cycling Regional and National Talent ID Camps
• USA Cycling Juniors international racing camps and trips
• USA Cycling European resident programs for Americans (men and women)
• USA Cycling U23 Mens Team and Womens Team (roster)
• National Teams
• 3 UCI America based Women's Teams- Road
• 9 UCI America based Continental Teams - Road (mens)
• 3 UCI America based Professional Continental Teams - Road (mens)
• 3 UCI America based WorldTour Pro Teams - Road (mens)

By the time a Junior/U23 makes it through selection and development, there are not too many team options available to him (and less to her). It is also known that with the restructuring of the UCI into 2016, there will be even fewer WorldTour Pro Teams. Below is a list of Pro Teams, some are in the process of reorganization, signing riders, and applying for licensing (exact team structure and sponsorship for 2015 is not fully known at this time).

American UCI Road Teams

UCI Mens WorldTour Pro Teams: (3 of 18 total teams worldwide)
BMC Racing Team
Team Cannondale-Garmin
Trek Factory Racing

UCI Mens Professional Continental Teams: (3 of 19 total teams worldwide)
Colombia (South America)
Team Novo Nordisk
UnitedHealthcare

UCI Mens Road Continental Teams: (23 of 141 total teams worldwide)

United States:
Airgas-Safeway
Astellas Cycling Team
Axeon Cycling Team
Champion System-Stan's NoTubes
Hincapie Sportswear Development Team
IRT Racing
Jamis-Hagens Berman
Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
Lupus Racing Team
Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
Team SmartStop

Domincan Republic:
Inteja-MMR Dominican Cycling Team (DOM)

South America:
Buenos Aires Privincia
Incycle Cannondale
Funvic Sao Jose Dos Campos
Orgullo Antioquendo
San Luis Somos Todos
Sendicato de Empleados Publicos de San Juan
Start - Massi Cycling Team
Team Ecuador

Canada:
Garneau Quebecor
H&R Block Pro Cycling (U23 Development)
Silber Pro Cycling

UCI Womens Teams: (7 of 37 total teams worldwide)
Itau Shimano Ladies Power Team (South America)
Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA)
Pepper Palace Pro Cycling p/b/ The Happy Tooth (USA)
Team Tibco - SVB (USA)
Twenty 16 p/b/ Sho-Air (USA)
United Healthcare Professional Cycling Team (USA)
Xirayas de San Luis (South America)

View all teams listed at: Pro Cycling Stats Teams
View 2015 team rider transfer list at Cycling Fever or Pro Cycling Stats Transfers

UCI Mens Domestic Elite Teams - American (24 teams) (2014, 2015 teams in approval process)


Athlete Octane Cycling
Bissell-ABG-Giant
Breakawaybikes.com-Vie13 p/b Felt Bicycles
California Giant/Specialized
Canyon Bicycles - Shimano
CRCA/Blue Ribbon - Pennell Venture Partners
CRCA/Lupus Racing Team
Credité Velo - Trek
Ego p/b Sammy's Bikes
Elbowz Racing
Gateway Harley-Davidson/Trek
GIANT Regional ON-ROAD Team
Hagens Berman U-23 Cycling
Horizon Organic / Einstein Bros. Cycling
KHS-Maxxis p/b JAKROO
Kelly Benefit Strategies Elite
Live Well p/b Bountiful Bicycle
Pioneer Mortgage Funding p/b Yourkey.com
Revolution Cycle/Twin 6
SeaSucker/Guttenplan Coaching
Stan's NoTubes p/b Proferrin Elite Cycling
Team Metra / Cycles 54
Team Rio Grande 
Van Dessel Factory Team

UCI Womens Domestic Elite Teams - American (17 teams) (2014, 2015 teams in approval process)


Cloud Racing p/b Ride 2 Recovery
Colavita-Fine Cooking
CRCA/CityMD Racing
CRCA/Stan's NoTubes p/b enduranceWERX
DNA Cycling p/b K4
FCS|Zngine p/b Mr. Restore
Fearless Femme
Garneau Factory Team
Guru Cycles p/b Haute Wheels Racing
PainPathways Women's Cycling
Pepper Palace Pro Cycling
Pinnacle-Reactor p/b JL Velo
Pioneer Mortgage Funding p/b YourKey.com
Team Belladium
Tennessee Women's Cycling Project
TWENTY16 Pro Cycling
Vanderkitten

NRC (National Racing Calendar) -
NCC (National Criterium Calendar) -
Pedal Dancer 2015 Colorado Bike Race Calendar

Did you know?

• Every state in the United States but Oregon, South Dakota, North Dakota, Hawaii, and Alaska (and Wyoming I was just informed) have state cycling associations associated with USA Cycling? Oregon operates its own independent Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA).
• Over 76,000 citizens hold USA Cycling racing licenses.
• Tejay van Garderen, Timmy Duggan, Danny Summerhill, Ted King, Michael Creed, Danny Pate, Nate Brown, Kiel Reijnen, Chris Butler, Ryan Eastman, Taylor Phinney and many more top level pro cyclists started in junior clubs or through USA Cycling U-23 programs.

If your child is interested in getting into the sport of cycling - USA Cycling offers this Athlete Development Pathway guide. If your child is a girl - start lobbying now for equal pay in cycling. If your child is interested in running - buy him or her a good pair of running shoes, open the front door, and go for a run together.

- - - -

Here is a photo I took in 2011 of local Colorado junior wonder Gage Hecht. Two weeks ago Gage won the Mens Juniors 2014-2015 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Koksijde, Belgium. Watching his growth through the junior programs has been amazing.

USA Cycling race report... "American Gage Hecht (Parker, Colo./Alpha Bicycle Company/Visit Subaru). The 16-year-old Hecht beat out three Belgian favorites for the win, crossing the line seven seconds ahead of second-place finisher."

A young 13-year old Gage Hecht in 2011 spending his weekends doing what he loves (with his parents always nearby). Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

So there is still doping in cycling?

Oh, I get it, nothing has really changed?

Should I be embarrassed to be a fan of cycling? I was told sport would build character. Words like discipline, strength, teamwork, passion, fairness, virtue, cooperation and respect for rules were touted as guaranteed outcomes for participation in sport. But it is one thing to participate, where we can control our own behavior, deciding upon our own moral boundaries, and an entirely different thing to be a fan. Particularly being a fan of a cheating sport where witnessing virtuous behavior sometimes does not come with the territory.

You take the good with the bad in pro cycling

In recent weeks two really bad things happened in the arena of professional cycling. For starters Team Astana produced three positive illegal substance testing athletes (2 for EPO, one for steroids). I would call that an epidemic. I could also describe this as Astana cultivating cheaters, because wasn't it agreed upon a couple years ago that pro teams would get involved and have zero tolerance for doping in their ranks? Yes, that happened, it was part of the New Deal of Cycling which has had mixed results.

In 2007, a group of teams, organizers, sponsors and federations signed a good-faith agreement called Mouvement Pour un Cyclisme Crédible (MPCC). The agreement stipulated that teams would voluntarily pull themselves out of upcoming competition if two or more athletes tested positive for banned substances within a 12-months period - a way of punishing the team for failing to self-police. Team Astana signed the agreement which looked fine on paper and better to sponsors, but that didn't stop them from following the fine print after two positives were reported. The team raced the approaching important Il Lombardia, only later pulling out of Tour of Beijing under tremendous pressure.

Then a third positive test was exposed from a third athlete on Team Astana. Whoops.

Oh that is bad, it must be bad, right? No, not really. The UCI has warned that Team Astana "would likely face scrutiny" (per Velonews). Okay that doesn't even scare me, no way will that warning derail a multimillion dollar team who is basically managed by ex-dopers and has power beyond the UCI governing body or other opposing teams and questioning sponsors.

The second bad thing that happened this week occurred over the airwaves of Denver, Colorado, when a matter of fact commercial intended to sell a Columbia Sportswear jacket stated that pro cyclists are dopers (keep in mind that Columbia used to be a sponsor of pro cycling, remember when George Hincapie and Mark Cavendish were teammates?). It is not simply that they said it, it is the way in which they said it. It rolled off the tongue as if it were conventional wisdom, in as nonchalant kind of way as if they just stated all blonds are dumb. Whether it is true or not doesn't matter, conventional wisdom is a sign that belief has become common truth. Ouch.

Cheating is entertainment

A few weeks ago I read a blog comment that stated "Isn't Vino a great character ..... Lance Armstrong was at least entertaining." Those types of statements are so troubling to me. What I see as intentional poor judgement, wrongful gains and lack of virtue in sports - is entertainment for others. As long as you don't cheat on me and keep me entertained - who cares? Right? So wrong.

When did Pro Cycling start running a parallel to the NFL or World Wresting Federation?

Pure entertainment and being able to spin out of any wrong doing with the right PR moves, effectively diverting our attention off the real issue, gets tiresome. Maybe we need to create a separate sport for the cheaters. Wrestling itself runs two parallel sports - World Wrestling and real Collegiate/Olympic wrestling. What I am saying is that cycling fans are no fools, we get that doping continues in pro cycling but does the choice exist to watch legitimate cycling? Where can I find honest competition, or does it exist?

I only have so many rebounds left in me. I got over the Festina affair, Omertà, Operation Puerto, Floyd Landis, too many books, the nullifying of seven years of Tour de France results, plus the Lance Armstrong era of silencing and intimidation. I cheered as a new UCI President was elected and a new era of cycling was announced with biological passports. I watched as confessions and immunities poured in and teams signed that trusty Mouvement Pour un Cyclisme Crédible agreement.

A fresh start? No, there is still doping in cycling. And blondes are dumb, and Irish drink, and Italians are all good cooks, and all those other half / full truths that are conventional wisdom and solidify unjust stereotypes.

A.S.O. needs to step up and control who gets invited to their races.

Anyone who knows pro cycling, understands that A.S.O. pretty much controls this sport by being the biggest most powerful organizer in pro cycling. They own the races that the leading teams must be invited to be a part of to retain the best sponsors and bring in top dollar. A.S.O. could easily create their own guidelines and in a way control the destiny of the biggest teams.

It is a known that the sport looses and rotates through sponsorship annually, continuously. The attempt to correct the poor image of professional cycling has been attempted through disciplining the individual athlete (won't work due to too great a gain by doping), through the teams (won't work unsupervised by a greater power) and through media outrage (the silencing era is not yet behind us).

Should we create two parallel cycling sports? One a World Cycling Federation for entertainment, where anything goes (this is the pool where Astana could compete), and the second one an A.S.O. controlled cycling league, where strict standards must be proven regarding staff, riders and practices. Sponsors could split themselves between the two separate sports according to what audience they were trying to reach. Fans could do the same (that way I don't have to stand next to the "isn't Vino cool" fans). Do you want entertainment or do you want true athletic competence?

A.S.O. and the other race organizers have the power to say "I don't want you playing in my playground."

The future of pro cycling

How many fans has professional cycling lost in the past five years? I don't know the number, but I do know that I feel somewhat embarrassed to be a fan of the sport. I am disillusioned - not emotionally, not as in bummed out - in my opinion, intellectually promoting the sport of cycling sort of feels like promoting World Wrestling.

Why we like some former cheaters and not others is hard to nail down, but I admit I am guilty of dividing better bads from just plain bads. I forgive Ivan Basso, Frank Schleck, Alberto Contador, and Christian VandeVelde. I don't forgive Alexander Vinokourov, Bjorn Riis, Jonathan Vaughters, Tom Danielson, George Hincapie, or Lance Armstrong. Why - I couldn't tell ya.

This is the face of modern cycling; as fans we form our personal fantasy teams based upon which dopers we like and which dopers we dislike, and which ones we still believe are clean. We form our preferences through a totally random subjective decision based upon emotion that cannot be fully explained. I find some comfort and justification in being a fan of professional cycling because "not all dopers are bad." Somehow I can forget they ever cheated.

It's total craziness. It's entertainment without virtue.

The 2014 winner of the Tour de France - Vincenzo Nibali - races on Team Astana. Oh no, I like Vincenzo Nibali! I feel the need to go read a bunch of Vince Lombardi quotes so I can feel good about sport again.

More about the Organizers of pro cycling 

 

The A.S.O. (Amaury Sports Organisation) organizes the most highly revered bike races. A.S.O. is a privately held family company based in Issy les Moulineaux, France:

• Arctic Race of Norway
• Critérium International
• Critérium du Dauphiné
• La Course
• Ladies Tour of Qatar
• La Flèche Wallonne
• La Flèche Wallonne Féminine
• La Vuelta
• Liège–Bastogne–Liège
• Paris–Nice
• Paris–Roubaix
• Paris–Tours
• Saitama Criterium 
• Tour de l'Avenir
• Tour de France
• Tour de Picardie
• Tour of Beijing
• Tour of Oman
• Tour of Qatar
• World Ports Classic

Belgian Flanders Classics organizes many of the well-known Spring Classics races in Belgium. The organization was founded in 2010:

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Gent Wevelgem
Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders)
Dawars Door Vlaanderen
Scheldeprijsf
De Brabantse Pijl

RCS Sports is the race organizer of the:

Giro d' Ialtia
Milano SanRemo
Il Lombardia
Tirreno Adriatico
Dubai Tour
Strade Bianche

My friend Willie Reichenstein told me the story today, "I remember a college lecturer telling us in a lecture that sport is not a character builder but a character revealer." I couldn't agree more.

2013 UCI WorldTour Race Calendar

2013 -  UCI WorldTour Race Dates

 

Dates of 2013 UCI WorldTour Races

 UCI WorldTour Calendar - 2013

Date	Events	Country
22 Jan-27 Jan 2013	Santos Tour Down Under	Australia
03 Mar-10 Mar 2013	Paris - Nice	France
06 Mar-12 Mar 2013	Tirreno - Adriatico	Italy
17 Mar 2013	Milano - Sanremo	Italy
18 Mar-24 Mar 2013	Volta Ciclista a Catalunya	Spain
22 Mar 2013	E3 Harelbeke	Belgium
24 Mar 2013	Gent - Wevelgem	Belgium
31 Mar 2013	Ronde van Vlaanderen / Tour des Flandres	Belgium
01 Apr-06 Apr 2013	Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco	Spain
07 Apr 2013	Paris - Roubaix	France
14 Apr 2013	Amstel Gold Race	Netherlands
17 Apr 2013	La Flèche Wallonne	Belgium
21 Apr 2013	Liège - Bastogne - Liège	Belgium
23 Apr-28 Apr 2013	Tour de Romandie	Switzerland
04 May-26 May 2013	Giro d'Italia	Italy
02 Jun-09 Jun 2013	Critérium du Dauphiné	France
08 Jun-16 Jun 2013	Tour de Suisse	Switzerland
29 Jun-21 Jul 2013	Tour de France	France
27 Jul-03 Aug 2013	Tour de Pologne	Poland
27 Jul 2013	Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian	Spain
12 Aug-18 Aug 2013	Eneco Tour	Belgium
24 Aug-15 Sep 2013	Vuelta a España	Spain
25 Aug 2013	Vattenfall Cyclassics	Germany
01 Sep 2013	GP Ouest France - Plouay	France
13 Sep 2013	Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec	Canada
15 Sep 2013	Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal	Canada
06 Oct 2013	Il Lombardia	Italy
09 Oct-13 Oct 2013	Tour of Hangzhou	China
16 Oct-20 Oct 2013	Tour of Beijing	China

More Information:
 
For UCI World Tour rankings, results, news, and races, find more information on the UCI website.

UCI World Championships Road: UCI Worlds - 22-29 September 2013 

Also see: 2013 Cycling Classics race calendar

Also see: Recommended: Race Calendar by The Inner Ring

Armstrong erased

Get out the erasers - they did the right thing!

Breaking News Alert
The New York Times
Monday, October 22, 2012 -- 7:46 AM EDT

Lance Armstrong Stripped of His Seven Tour de France Titles for Doping

New York Times ..."Lance Armstrong Stripped of His Seven Tour de France Titles for Doping. The International Cycling Union announced on Monday that it will not appeal the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s ruling to bar Lance Armstrong for life from Olympic sports for doping and for playing an instrumental role in the team-wide doping on his Tour de France-winning cycling squads.

That decision to waive the right to take Armstrong’s case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the highest court in sports, formally strips Armstrong of the Tour titles he won from 1999 to 2005. The Amaury Sport Organization, the company that organizes the Tour de France, will erase Armstrong’s name from its record books."

Score: USADA 7, Armstrong 0
.

Quote of the Day: Exactly whose fault is this?

What? - The UCI blamed the spectators for doping 

Today's quotes comes from an article today by VeloNation about a previous exchange between WADA president Richard Pound and UCI’s previous president, Hein Verbruggen:

....“I said ‘Hein, you guys have a huge problem in your sport.’ He said ‘what do you mean?’ I said ‘the doping.’ ‘Well,’ he said, ‘that is really the fault of the spectators.’

“I said, ‘I beg your pardon...it is the spectators’ fault?’ He said, ‘yes…if they were happy with the Tour de France at 25 k [km/h], it would be fine. But if they want it at 41, 42, the riders have to prepare.’”

The VeloNation article goes on to state, "The UCI recently denied that it had any culpability in the doping epidemic which afflicted cycling in the past. Its current president Pat McQuaid told the press that the governing body did everything it could at the time and was blameless."

Anyone willing to watch a clean peloton of cyclists average 25km/h over 3,497 kilometres in 3 weeks - now would be a good time to speak up and say "that is fast enough." 

Supposedly the 1903 winner of the Tour de France averaged 25.679 km/h (on paved and unpaved roads), between 1980 and 1990, the average speed of a Tour de France rider cranked up to 37.5 km/h. Lance Armstrong had the fastest Tour victory, completing the 2005 Tour de France with an average speed of 41.654 kilometres per hour (25.883 mph). But that's not really a record anymore, or a victory. In 2011 Cadel Evans won the Tour de France with an average speed of 39.79 km/h. Bradley Wiggins was only slightly faster in 2012 winning with an average speed of 39.83 km/h over 3,497km. We probably should take into account advancements in equipment technology and training, but that seems more than fast enough, they could slow a couple kilometers and I bet hardly a spectator would notice, or complain. 

Read Tour de France winners and their average speeds or Every Tour de France winner listed from Garin to Wiggins

I couldn't tell - was Tejay going 35 or 38km/h? It sure felt fast enough to me.   
Photo by Karen at PedalDancer.com

Contador and Armstrong

Remember when these two men were teammates? 

Their union on the Astana team was only 3 years ago! So much has changed since then. The battle raged between these two men then and has since evolved into individual battles against agencies, testimony, codes, rules, truth and time. We have all heard the news by now - Lance got off, Alberto got banned. Or as I read in a text from a friend, "Lance wins again!" Well, I personally don't believe there are any winners in either of these cases. Only outcomes. Justified or not, these outcomes have now become fact. 

The facts:

• Alberto Contador has been given a 2-year ban for doping by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, backdated to January 25, 2011 (with some credit for his previous suspension period), his punishment will end August 5, 2012. After he returns, any points he earns in races over the next two years will not count for his team.
• Alberto Contador has been stripped of his 2010 Tour de France victory, he has also been stripped of his 2011 Giro' d' Italia win and any other victories after February 2011.
• Alberto Contador has paid for his legal expenses, and may have to pay for the legal expenses of the UCI which is seeking a €2,485,000 fine from Contador. 
• The Press released the news of Alberto Contador's positive blood test results on September 29, 2010. The next day Contador claimed his positive test for 50 picograms of clenbuterol during the Tour de France on July 21, 2010 in Pau, was due to ingesting contaminated beef. He was immediately suspended by the UCI. But Contador was then cleared in full by the RFEC (Royal Spanish Cycling Federation) on February 16, 2011 and returned to racing. The UCI and WADA (World Anti Doping Agency) disagreed with the RFEC decision and continued their own investigation finally concluding today, after 565 days of suspense, in a guilty verdict.

• The U.S. Federal Investigation against Lance Armstrong has been dropped.
• The USADA (Drug Administration) may proceed in further drug-use (or misuse) investigation on Armstrong.
• Lance Armstrong has incurred tremendous legal expenses since before his case began in May 2010, so too have many of his former US Postal teammates, who may not be out of the woods quite yet.

You are remembered for the rules you break. ~ Douglas MacArthur 

The news is shocking, but I think we will look back over time and realize it was the only outcome possible. There are people who need to believe in Lance Armstrong, whatever his service to Livestrong.org (or Livestrong.com lucrative service to him), Armstrong is a part of the modern history and development of this sport. Perhaps not an admirable example of how it should have been done, but how it was done - 7 times. I am one who believes that doping was prominent in the sport, rules were broken, cheaters won, but did Armstrong commit a crime in the United States? Apparently that was either too long or too expensive or simply not worth proving. Still I believe it has tainted his legacy.

A hard-working Lance Armstrong ©Photo by PedalDancer/ArchRake

Rules are not necessarily sacred, principles are. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

I recently was grateful for an interview with Peter Thomson of Thomson Bike Tours. Peter operates cycling tours as an official tour operator for A.S.O. races and has seen a lot of races in person on the roads of Europe, and raced with Bernard Hinault on the La Vie Clair team back in the day. When I asked Peter the question, "Which rider appears to you to have the most natural talent on a bicycle?" Without hesitation he answered, "In modern times, there is only one guy and that is Contador, he was born to ride a bike. I know he is not popular in the States ... but he is a phenomenal rider, he looks great on a bike, he is an attacking rider, he goes for it. He doesn't sit back and play tactics ... at the Tour de France he was not on top form at all, he was really suffering this year but he was still attacking, he was going for it. I love riders that race, that make a spectacle of it." "And the one looking back, has got to be Bernard Hinault, he was absolutely phenomenal, Bernard would race from day one to the Champs Elysees. He would climb, he would time trial, he just wanted to win, win everything ... if Bernard Hinault was in the race you were going to see a good race." 

I am a fan who wants to see Alberto Contador racing. I am saddened by Alberto's experiences over the past 2-3 years. But the fact remains that his lab results tested positive and the WADA code demands a strict 2-year ban. Contador now joins the ranks of those officially found guilty of doping, whether he is guilty or not, this is the path he will walk as a man into his future. He will miss the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France in 2012, he will never again be eligible to compete in the Olympic arena. I am certain innocent men have been banned before, I am certain guilty men have walked away free. WADA had no choice but to stand by their code. We are talking about the principles of competition here, the rules of engagement, and unfortunately the sport of cycling to date has not proved it's ability to do without standards, as unjust as they are sometimes applied. This is one code that needed to be enforced however sad this case truly is.  

A sincere Alberto Contador ©Photo by PedalDancer/Sys

Integrity has no need of rules. ~Albert Camus

Oh how I wish this were true in sport. Perhaps this day marks the point were we walk away from a shameful expensive and inconsistent past, accept the punishment today, and know that the message into the future stands that doping in cycling is not acceptable. 

Read Red Kite Prayer's report of the news today Contador suspended, stripped of Tour and Giro titles. RKP also mentions that Alberto Contador and Saxo Bank general manager, Bjarne Riis, will hold a Tuesday press conference.

Update 02/07/12: Alberto's Press Conference and statement - Alberto Contador Press Conference: Spaniard considers appeal, vows to return By VeloNation.

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2012 Professional Cycling Teams

Relearning the UCI World Tour teams for 2012

As the UCI deadline for license application passed on October 1st, the organization of teams for the 2012 cycling season is not yet known or complete. What is know is that 4 teams are applying for new World Tour licenses, some teams have not yet applied, 5 Professional Continental Teams missed the deadline, and most of the remaining teams are good to go for 2012. 

October is always an untidy month in the world of pro cycling with much left unknown. I always wonder why the teams miss the deadline with the UCI  (is Jonathan Vaughters trying to make yet another statement). The reality is it takes time for the teams to finalize their financing and paperwork. Teams must submit to the UCI, sponsorship contracts, contracts with 12 riders, details of the team’s budget, a bank guarantee, and a description of the team structure.

In 2011 eighteen teams were approved for UCI ProTeam license by the UCI. Twenty-one teams were approved for ProConti status, but only 19 teams have applied for Professional Continental licenses in 2012. We may see fewer Conti teams. The loss of HTC-Highroad and Radioshack will hopefully allow for World Tour licensing of Europecar and FDJ who missed out in 2011.

A team is allowed to change their name and use the same license approved in 2011 if the license remains valid. For example the new Radioshack-Nissan team will be using the still active Leopard Trek license since the two teams have merged. The same applies to the revised Lotto, and Omega Pharma-Quick Step teams, when a Sponsor jumped teams. 

PROTOUR TEAMS - final

Professional cycling teams for 2012   

Competing teams:
Team                                                                                         DS                                                                          team website

AG2R La Mondiale	ALM		Vincent LAVENU	www.cyclisme.ag2rlamondiale.fr
Astana Pro Team	AST		Giuseppe MARTINELLI	www.astana.lu
BMC Racing Team	BMC		John LELANGUE	www.bmc-racing.com
Euskaltel-Euskadi	EUS		Gorka GERRIKAGOITIA ARRIEN	fundacioneuskadi.com
FDJ-BigMat	FDJ		Marc MADIOT	www.equipecyclistefdj.fr
Garmin-Barracuda	GRM		Alan PEIPER	www.slipstreamsports.com/
Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team	GEC		Matthew WHITE	www.greenedgecycling.com
Katusha Team	KAT		Valerio PIVA	www.katushateam.com
Lampre - ISD	LAM		Roberto DAMIANI	www.teamlampreisd.com
Liquigas-Cannondale	LIQ		Dario MARIUZZO	www.teamliquigas.com
Lotto Belisol Team	LTB		Marc SERGEANT	www.lottobelisol.be
Movistar Team	MOV		José Luis LAGUIA MARTINEZ	www.movistarteam.com
Omega Pharma-Quick Step	OPQ		Davide BRAMATI	www.omegapharma-quickstep.com
Rabobank Cycling Team	RAB		Frans MAASSEN	www.rabosport.nl
RadioShack-Nissan	RNT		Luca GUERCILENA/td>	www.leopard.lu
Sky Pro Cycling	SKY		Sean YATES	www.teamsky.com
Team Saxo Bank	SAX		Bjarne RIIS	www.slipstreamsports.com
Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team	VCD		Hilaire VAN DER SCHUEREN	www.vacansoleildcm.com

2012 CONTINENTAL TEAMS Update 12/12/11: UCI releases final list of Pro Continental teams for 2012 by VeloNation  Accent Jobs – Willems Veranda’s (Bel)  Acqua & Sapone (Ita)  Andalucia (Esp)  Androni Giocattoli (Ita)  Bretagne – Schuller (Fra)  Caja Rural (Esp)  Champion System Pro Cycling Team (Chn)  Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne (Fra)  Colnago – Csf Inox (Irl)  Colombia – Coldeportes (Col)  Farnese Vini (Gbr)  Landbouwkrediet (Bel)  Project 1T4I (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano (new team name April 2012) Rusvelo (Rus)  Saur – Sojasun (Fra)  Spidertech Powered By C10 (Can)  Team Europcar (Fra)  Team Netapp (Ger)  Team Type 1 – Sanofi (USA)  Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator (Bel)  Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA)  Utensilnord Named (Irl)

Update 11/21/11: 
License approved (16): AG2R La Mondiale, Astana Pro Team (Kazakstan), BMC Racing Team (USA), Euskaltel – Euskadi, FDJ (France), Garmin-Cervélo Baracuda (USA) Update January 201, Katusha, Lampre – ISD (ITA), Liquigas – Cannondale (ITA), Lotto Belisol, Movistar Team (ESP), Omega Pharma-Quick Step Cycling Team, Rabobank (NED), Saxo Bank, Sky Procycling (GBR), Vacansoleil – DCM 

Under review (2) (more documentation needed from teams): Radioshack-Nissan-Trek, GreenEDGE  

FDJ awarded WorldTour license for 2012,  RadioShack Nissan and GreenEdge miss out on next round of WorldTour licence registration


Update 11/16/11:
Saxo Bank to take over full title sponsorship of Riis Cycling, SunGard leaves
UCI won’t elaborate on why RadioShack and Vacansoleil have ProTeam licence issues

UCI PRess Release 02.11.2011: Press release: Registration of UCI ProTeams and UCI Professional Continental Teams for the 2012 season
UCI Press release 05.10.2011: Publication of the list of teams that have applied for registration with the UCI

The new teams (GreenEdge Cycling Team, Lotto Cycling Project) along with the ProTeams which have asked for a licence renewal (Saxo Bank Sungard, Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team, Katusha Team), as well as teams from the second division (Geox – TMC, FDJ, Team Europcar) and also those which are ranked between 16th and 20th in the ranking of sporting values (AG2R La Mondiale, Euskaltel – Euskadi) will automatically be called before the Licence Commission.

The teams Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team and RadioShack-Nissan will also be heard by the Licence Commission in accordance with article 2.15.071 of the regulations.
Shortly after November 20th, the UCI will communicate a first series of decisions of the Licence Commission concerning the awarding of first division licences and registration in first or second division.
The final decisions of the License Commission will be communicated on December 10th. 

According to the UCI these are the certain UCI License approvals for 2012 (first division):

Astana Pro Team (Kazakstan)
BMC Racing Team (USA)
Euskaltel – Euskadi (possible sponsorship issues)
Garmin-Cervélo (USA)
Lampre – ISD (ITA)
Liquigas – Cannondale (ITA)
Movistar Team (ESP)
Rabobank (NED)
Sky Procycling (GBR)

Under Review:

Radioshack-Nissan-Trek (under current review, using previous Leopard-Trek license)
Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team (also under review) 

New UCI license applications filed (8): 

FDJ
GreenEDGE
Katusha
Lotto Cycling Project Lotto Belisol (new name for the old Omega Pharma-Lotto team)
Omega Pharma-Quick Step Cycling Team (new name for the old Quick Step team)
Project 1t4i (new name for the old Skil-Shimano team)
Saxo Bank
Europcar - (denied 11/21/11)

Unknown: 
AG2R La Mondiale 
Geox – TMC (withdrawn)

Update 11/2/11: 

Eight teams awarded ProTeam licences for 2012, others must await future decision
Eight teams have secured license, the others will have to wait for final announcements on December 10, 2011

Astana Pro Team (Kazakstan), BMC Racing Team (USA), Garmin-Cervélo (USA), Lampre – ISD (ITA), Liquigas – Cannondale (ITA), Movistar Team (ESP), Rabobank (NED) and Sky Procycling (GBR).

Update 10/25/11:  
Teams in the top 15
Astana Pro Team
BMC Racing Team
Garmin – Cervélo
GreenEdge Cycling Team
Katusha Team
Lampre - ISD
Liquigas – Cannondale
Lotto Cycling Project
Movistar Team
Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
Rabobank
RadioShack – Nissan
Saxo Bank Sungard
Sky Procycling
Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team

Teams eligible for WorldTour

AG2R La Mondiale 

Geox – TMC

FDJ

Euskaltel – Euskadi

Team Europcar

Update 10/05/11: 

What we know about UCI World Tour ProTeams for 2012 

Looking hopeful (10):

AG2R La Mondiale
Astana Pro Team
BMC Racing Team
Euskaltel-Euskadi (possible sponsorship issues)
Lampre-ISD
Liquigas-Cannondale
Rabobank
RadioShack-Nissan-Trek (the new name for Leopard Trek) (under review)
Sky Procycling
Vacansoleil-DCM 
New applications filed (8):  
Europcar (they were rejected last year)  
FDJ   
GreenEDGE (new Australian team)   
Katusha  
Lotto-Ridley (new name for the old Omega Pharma-Lotto team)   
Omega Pharma-Quick Step (new name for the old Quick Step team)  
Project 1t4i (new name for the old Skil-Shimano team)  
Saxo Bank-SunGard 


Missed the initial application deadline of 1 October 2011 for the 2012 season (3): 
Garmin-Cervelo  
Geox-TMC (license rejected in 2011)  


Update 10/20/11:
Updated: Geox pulls sponsorship from team Movistar 

Update 10/05/11: 

What we know about Professional Continental Teams for 2012
good to go (14):
Accent Jobs (new name for the old Verandas Willems-Accent team)
Androni Giocattoli
Bretagne-Schuller
Caja Rural
Cofidis, le credit en ligne
Colnago-CSF Inox
Farnese Vini
Landbouwkrediet
Saur-Sojasun
Spidertech powered by C10
Team NettApp
Team Type 1-Sanofi
Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
missed the application deadline of 1 October 2011 (5):
Acqua & Sapone
Andalucia-Caja Granada
CCC Polsat-Polkowice
Colombia es Pasion-Café de Colombi
De Rosa-Ceramiche Flaminia

Word-of-the-day Definitions:

World Tour - what used to be called the ProTour became the UCI World Tour in 2011. It is comprised of 27 elite male cycling events around the world. None of the races in the USA are on the World Tour calendar. (use a space between the 2 words). View a complete list of all UCI World Tour races. And the current World Tour rankings.

The UCI World Tour consists of 27 events. These events are made up from:

• The three Grand Tours (Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, Vuelta a Espana)
• The five Monument one day races
• Nine further stage races in Europe
• Six further one day races in Europe
• One stage race in Australia
• Two one day races in Canada
• One stage race in Asia

ProTeam - in 2011 the teams that were approved to compete in the World Tour were renamed as UCI ProTeams (do not use a space between the 2 words). All ProTeams gain automatic entry into UCI World Tour events.
UCI Professional Continental Team - these teams compete in the UCI Continental Circuit races divided into 5 specified zones around the world, and must be formally invited to compete in a World Tour event. The team is comprised solely of professional riders and must have 14 riders, 2 team managers and 3 other staff members in full employment all year. ProConti is the slang term used for these teams.
UCI Continental Team - are governed on a national level and may comprise both professional and amateur riders who compete in continental races in their region. The nation under which the team is registered is the nation under which the majority of its riders are registered.

As the final team licenses are issued for 2012, please check these links in the coming months:
Look for the official 2012 list of UCI ProTeams
Look for the official 2012 list of UCI Professional Continental Teams
Look for the official 2012 list of UCI Continental Teams (change the drop-down box)
Look for the official 2012 list of UCI Womens Teams  (change the drop-down box)

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