WorldTour cycling system enters third cycle

At the beginning of 2026, the third three-year cycle for organizing promotions and relegations for professional cycling teams within the WorldTour division was underway. The system, introduced in 2020, determines the 18 teams that will compete at the highest level of global cycling during the following cycle based on a UCI points ranking over three seasons.

UCI points determine team rankings

The team ranking is based on UCI points, with each race awarding points to riders based on their final position. For example, a continental-level race awards 125 points to the winner, while the Tour de France awards 1300 points to the overall winner and 210 points to the winner of a stage. A team's total points are the sum of the points of its 20 riders with the highest total.

WorldTour and ProTeam classifications

The 18 best-ranked teams at the end of a three-year cycle obtain WorldTour status and guaranteed access to prestigious races, while the remaining teams receive ProTeam classification and must rely on organizers' invitations. Teams not in the top 18 can benefit from a "catch-up session" through a wild-card system.

Wild-card system allows catch-up

An additional ranking for ProTeams is set up each year, with the top two teams receiving invitations to all WorldTour events in the following season, and the third in the ranking receiving automatic invitations to one-day races. This system has allowed teams like Lotto - Soudal (currently Lotto Intermarché) and Israel - Premier Tech (currently NSN Cycling Team) to maintain de facto WorldTour status even after being relegated, as they consistently finished in the top two ProTeam rankings.

Relegation impact varies

However, the system's impact on relegation has been limited. At the end of the second cycle (2023–2025), Cofidis and Arkéa - Samsic were relegated to ProTeam. Cofidis, finishing 4th in the ProTeam ranking, secured a wild-card for all WorldTour events in 2026, effectively regaining a program similar to before its relegation. Arkéa - Samsic, however, did not receive a wild-card, which likely accelerated its disappearance.

Wild-card system challenges UCI goals

The wild-card system allows relegated teams to maintain virtual WorldTour status and optimize their race calendars, unlike WorldTour teams, which must participate in all key events. This has led to a situation where the system may not fully achieve the UCI's goal of an open structure, as teams with wild-cards can continue to score points and secure future invitations. With increasing competition among subtop teams, the promotion/relegation system may gain more significance in the future.