The UCI has revealed the details of new rules encouraging the best cyclo-cross riders to take the World Cup more seriously. They are to be enforced as of today.
Most notably, the top-20 ranked cyclo-cross riders will not be allowed to ride national level races. The idea is that the best events attracting the biggest names will want to register as an international event, says the UCI.
While Mathieu Van Der Poel and Wout van Aert are both affected by this – MVDP is currently ranked fifth while Van Aert squeaks in at 19th, Tom Pidcock who sits in 30th place, is not. Cameron Mason, who won the British National Cyclo-Cross Championship at Falkirk in January, is 15th but the top-20 is made up chiefly of Belgian and Dutch riders including this season's World Cup winner Eli Iserbyt and Lars Van Der Haar, from cross teams such as Baloise Trek Lions and Crelan-Corendon.
None of the 'Big Three' have ridden a full cyclo-cross season this year, with Van Aert and Pidcock finishing early and missing the World Championship in order to prepare for the road, and Van Der Poel starting late even for him, in mid-December.
With this in mind there has been talk of condensing the World Cup series, suggesting the 'Big Three' still rule the cyclo-cross roost at half-distance – but the UCI has yet to make an announcement on this.
The new rules also state that up to 50% of World Cup races will be awarded 'protected' status, meaning that the UCI will be able to disallow other major international races from taking place on the same day, or the day before.
This measure is to encourage the international development of cyclo-cross, says the governing body.
It will prevent riders from skipping the travel-heavy rounds – such as those found early-season in the USA – in favour of a lesser ranked ride more locally.
"The introduction of this special status is intended to promote the internationalisation of cyclo-cross," the UCI says, "and to defend the prevalence of sporting interest when it comes to participation in cyclo-cross events."
World Cup participation requirements for UCI teams have also been beefed up: now UCI Professional CX teams will be obligated to field three riders across women's and/or men's elite categories for all World Cup rounds. Lower ranked UCI cross teams will have to field one rider over at least five rounds.
The measures were approved at a UCI management meeting in Prague, Czech Republic, last month.
UCI president David Lappartient said back in November that rules would be tightened up around the World Cup, following a decision by Belgian rider Thibau Nys to skip the third round of the World Cup in Dendermonde after failing to finish the European Championships race.
In that same week UCI sports director Peter Van den Abeele told Sporza, "I respect riders who say they choose to take a rest. But penalizing the World Cup for a different ranking? If the World Cup is seen as a toy, then we have a problem."
Lappartient's suggestion was not universally welcomed, notably by Sven Nys – father of Thibau and manager of the Baloise Trek Lions cyclo-cross team.
"I think riders should have the right to make their own choices, especially when it comes to young riders," he told Dutch outlet Wielerflits. "Because here my son is also mentioned. There are many other riders who make choices and skip a World Cup once in a while."
Presumably Lappartient hopes the 'protected' status granted by the new rules will reduce the incidence of tired legs stops play among CX riders.
