UCI World Cycling Tour for 2014 unveiled

The Ridge Hill Putnam Cycling Classic (Image credit: Ridge Hill Putnam Cycling Classic)

The UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT) returns in 2014 with two new events in Mexico City and Kuala Lumpur.

While the classic European qualification venues in Italy, Belgium, Spain, France and Austria continue to increase international participation numbers every year, the other non-traditional European venues such as Greece and Denmark have been busy growing too. Whereas South Africa, Australia, Brazil and the USA continue to establish their events as great celebrations of international cycling. Maraton Franja (Ljubljana, Slovenia) will be the venue of both a qualifier event and the UCI Amateur Road World Championships.

Also added in 2014 are the UWCT’s two early qualifier stage race events. Perth is the first one with a time trial, a traditional lap road race on and a new Granfondo style race spread over three consecutive days. A similar event will take place in Crete, which will play host to a stage race with a time trial and two road races. Leaders jerseys will be given to the leaders of the general classification and riders will also have the opportunity to skip one race day.

One major change to the programme sees the combination of the two youngest age groups into one new 19-34 age group. The challenger class will cease to exist while all remaining age groups will continue to have the chance to compete for the official UCI rainbow jersey in August.

For more information and a full list of events, click here.