2021 Grand Tour peloton improved to 23 groups

This year’s Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España will have an greater area of 23 teams and 184 riders soon after the UCI authorized the presence of an more wild card workforce in a a person-off evaluate owing to the affect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sport. 



a group of people riding on the back of a motorcycle: Etoile de Besseges 2021


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Etoile de Besseges 2021

The sizing of the Grand Tour pelotons had been minimized to 22 groups of eight riders each and every in latest many years in an try to decrease the chance of crashes and to increase rider protection. The 19 WorldTour groups are all immediately invited to the Grand Excursions, with Alpecin-Fenix also assured of a place immediately after topping the ProTeam rankings in 2020. 

Letting 23 teams in 2021 will also stay clear of some complicated choices for the 3 Grand Tour organisers. In a workforce announcement nowadays, Tour de France organisers verified all three French ProTeams – Complete-Immediate Énergie, Staff Arkéa-Samsic and B & B Hôtels p/b KTM – would experience the 108th version, which starts off in Brest, near to the headquarters of the a few groups.  

All a few Spanish Pro Teams – Burgos-BH, Caja Rural and Euskaltel-Euskadi – are probable to now safe areas at the Vuelta a España, although an more put for a team also assists the organisers of the Giro d’Italia, who confronted leaving out at minimum two Italian ProTeams. 

The Eolo-Kometa ProTeam created by Alberto Contador and Ivan Basso are anticipated to safe a wildcard invitation to the 2021 Giro d’Italia soon after stepping up to ProTeam degree, leaving Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec, Bardiani-CSF-Faizane, Vini Zabu-Brado-KTM, Gazprom and Team Arkea-Samsic combating for the last sites. 

The UCI confirmed the further area in the a few Grand Tours though asserting a number of selections taken by UCI Management Committee on race and rider security, donations to the CPA rider association and bicycle cities. 

“Following the request from the a few National Federations involved (France, Spain and Italy), the maximum variety of riders at the start off of the Grand Tours was extremely enhanced to 184 from the regular 176,” the UCI claimed. 

“This increase of 8 riders will allow organisers, if they desire, to invite an excess crew to their function beneath the wildcard technique. Nevertheless, the amount of riders for every staff at the start off of the Grand Excursions will keep on being established at eight. 

“This adjustment, relevant in 2021 only, will present several teams and many riders extra alternatives for competitiveness at the optimum degree in a period of time which has observed them appreciably minimized.”