Tour of Hangzhou joins WorldTour for four years

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The UCI announced today that it has extended a four-year WorldTour license for the new Tour of Hangzhou in China. The event is slated to kick off its inaugural race on October 17, 2012, closing out this year's WorldTour calendar.

It joins the Tour of Beijing as the only Asian races on the sport's top calendar.

"The Licences Commission's decision to award a four-year licence to the Tour of Hangzhou is excellent news for cycling," said UCI President Pat McQuaid. "Thanks to this development throughout the world, but without forgetting its origins, the UCI guarantees cycling's modern status and reinforces its position among the major Olympic disciplines."

Not neglecting the sport's historic races, the UCI also extended licenses through 2016 to the Critérium du Dauphiné and two Basque races, the Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco and Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian.

The Canadian races Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec and the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal also received an early extension through 2016.