The fight for 2025 Grand Tour wildcard invitations could be resolved by adding an extra 23rd team to the start lists and increasing the size of the peloton to 184 riders.
Tudor Pro Cycling and Uno-X Mobility are both hoping to secure the 22nd Tour de France place, while Tudor Pro Cycling and Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team are vying for the 22nd spot at the Giro d'Italia. An extra 23rd place would help the teams, but create some safety and logistical issues.
Cyclingnews understands that RCS Sport have asked the UCI for an extra wildcard for the Giro d'Italia and one trusted source told Cyclingnews that ASO have also asked the UCI for an extra wildcard for the Vuelta a España.
The UCI have allowed an extra team in the past but prefer not to make exemptions to their own rules and undermine the existing selection process. Safety is also an issue, with more riders in the Grand Tour pelotons increasing the risk of crashes. If a 23rd team is invited, they may have to agree to somehow cover the costs of their hotels and race costs. Any decision would have to be made by the UCI's Professional Cycling Council.
RCS Sport announced the wildcard invitations for Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo on Thursday, inviting both Tudor and Q36.5, but said that the Giro d'Italia wildcards would be announced "at a later date".
The 2024 Tour de France wildcards were announced on January 18 last year but ASO have still to make any announcement for the 2025 wildcards. They refused to comment about adding a 23rd team when contacted by Cyclingnews.
Tom Pidock and his new Q36.5 team have admitted they will not ride the Tour this year and so that leaves Tudor Pro Cycling and Uno-X Mobility in a battle for the final wildcard place.
Under the current UCI rules, the 18 WorldTour teams are automatically invited to the three Grand Tours, with the two best-ranked ProTeams in 2024 also invited but able to opt out. Lotto and Israel-Premier Tech will join the 18 WorldTour team on the Tour de France start list, with French ProTeam TotalEnergies also expected to line up in Lille on July 5.
Uno-X Mobility have ridden the Tour de France thanks to a wildcard invitation for the last two years. However, Tudor seem confident of starting the Tour for the first time after signing Julian Alaphilippe.
The 18 WorldTour teams plus Lotto and Israel-Premier Tech have automatic invitations to the Spanish Grand Tour, with race organisers Unipublic rotating the Spanish wildcard invitations between Kern Pharma, Euskaltel, Burgos-BH and Caja Rural. A 23rd place would allow Unipublic to invite all three Spanish teams or perhaps Q36.5.
Italian ProTeams Polti VisitMalta and VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè seem assured wildcard places at the Giro d'Italia and Israel-Premier Tech will take up their invitation.
That leaves Q36.5 and Tudor locked in a battle for the 22nd spot. Cyclingnews was told by a trusted source at the Giro route presentation in Rome that RCS Sport are demanding that Tudor include Alaphilippe or Marc Hirschi in their Giro roster to secure a 2025 wildcard. Otherwise, their place will go to Q36.5 and Pidcock.
Permission from the UCI to invite a 23rd team would resolve the battle for the final place.
