The Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) said that it "approved a series of sweeping reforms for men's road cycling, including an overhaul of the World Tour schedule," according to Steve Keating of REUTERS. Among the key reforms, reached after more than two years of dialogue with major teams and organizers, the UCI said that "three-year licenses will be granted to a maximum of 18 World Teams" for the '17-19 seasons. The UCI said that "it hopes the longer licenses, which will be granted based on ethical, financial, sporting, administrative and organizational criteria, will encourage investment leading to increased stability in team structures." UCI President Brian Cookson said, "By implementing these key reforms, the UCI is sending a strong signal to cycling fans, broadcasters and commercial partners about the continued improvements in the governance and organizational structures of our sport." The announcement "could help end a feud between the governing body and Tour de France organizer Amaury Sport Organisation who had threatened to pull their races from the UCI calendar over a lack of progress in the reform program" (REUTERS, 9/22). The AP reported three-year licenses "will be granted on criteria that includes ethics, finances and competitiveness." The reforms "follow a long, often acrimonious series of negotiations with major teams and race organizers over the future of the sport." But "missing were several contentious ideas, including the shortening of major stage races and the implementation of a relegation system." The three-year license structure "is designed to encourage sponsors to invest in the sport by ensuring teams are more stable, while the additional races and streamlined schedule could help to showcase the sport to more fans in a way that is easier for them to follow" (AP, 9/22). VELO NEWS' Powlison & Hood reported the UCI "also announced that individual men’s rankings will become universal across all events from the top to the third tier, largely reverting to a ranking system that was in place before the initial ProTour efforts began more than a decade ago." The nations rankings "will also be universal based on the individual rankings of the top-eight riders from each country" (VELO NEWS, 9/22).
