The UCI Management Committee has ratified the 2026 UCI WorldTour calendar, reaffirming the structure of men’s elite road racing for the next cycle and introducing important changes that will impact team access, race regulation, and the broader financial framework of the sport. Meeting in Arzon, France, the UCI also addressed proposals around governance, safety, and future-proofing the calendar amid growing investor interest.
Full calendar confirmed through 2028
The 2026 UCI WorldTour calendar will feature 36 races across 13 countries and four continents, amounting to 171 days of racing. No new races have been added for 2026, but all events from the 2025 calendar have retained their top-tier status through to 2028, subject to continued compliance with UCI regulations.
With the next evaluation for new race inclusion now deferred until the 2028 season, the WorldTour enters a period of stability, allowing organisers and teams to plan long-term.
The calendar kicks off in January in Australia with the Santos Tour Down Under (dates to be confirmed), and concludes on 18th October with the Tour of Guangxi in China.
ProTeams gain guaranteed WorldTour access
In a significant regulatory shift, the UCI confirmed that from 2026 onwards, the top three UCI ProTeams from the previous season will automatically receive invitations to all UCI WorldTour stage races, including the Grand Tours. These invitations come in addition to the 18 UCI WorldTeams and two wild card entries traditionally selected by organisers.
This means all 23 top-tier and leading second-division teams will now be guaranteed a presence at the sport’s most prestigious events. It’s a move designed to reward consistent performance in the ProTeam ranks and provide a clear pathway for upward mobility.
The rule mirrors a similar approach used in the women’s calendar and signals greater integration between WorldTeams and the ProTeam division across the sport.
OneCycling bid rejected
Despite ongoing discussions around the future commercial structure of professional cycling, the UCI confirmed that it had rejected the current proposal from the OneCycling project for integration into the WorldTour framework. Developed by a coalition of teams, organisers, and investors, the proposal was deemed incompatible with the UCI’s governance model and lacking in sporting cohesion.
However, the door remains open for future dialogue, particularly around the internationalisation of the calendar and the commercial development of men’s road cycling. The UCI stated its intention to continue discussions with the project’s backers to explore ways to support economic growth without compromising the regulatory framework.
Calendar scope and structure
The 2026 WorldTour offers a familiar yet comprehensive schedule of classics, stage races, and Grand Tours. It retains all cornerstone events, from Paris-Roubaix to the Tour de France, and provides a balanced mix of one-day and multi-stage formats, along with emerging events like the Copenhagen Sprint.
Among the highlights:
- All three Grand Tours remain in their usual slots: Giro d’Italia in May, Tour de France in July, and La Vuelta a España across August and September.
- A full Spring Classics season, including the Monuments and key lead-in races such as E3 Saxo Classic and Dwars door Vlaanderen.
- Tour de Romandie, Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de Suisse anchor the pre-Tour GC build-up.
- Late-season races in Canada and China round off the global calendar.
Equipment, safety, and technical regulations
From 2026, the UCI will enforce new technical specifications for equipment used in road racing:
- Maximum rim height of 65 mm for mass start events
- Minimum handlebar width (outside-to-outside) set at 400 mm, with a 320 mm minimum between brake levers
- Internal fork width restricted to 115 mm (front) and 145 mm (rear)
- Revised helmet regulations distinguishing between use in time trials and mass start events
These changes aim to keep pace with advances in equipment design while placing safety and consistency at the forefront. The UCI, in collaboration with SafeR, also committed to publishing a dedicated safety statement before the end of June.
Points system and cross-disciplinary recognition
From 2027, road teams will also be eligible to collect UCI points based on rider results in other cycling disciplines, such as MTB and cyclocross. This change supports multi-talented riders and acknowledges the increasingly fluid nature of modern racing careers. This is a change also reflected in the women’s new reformed points system too.
The UCI also confirmed ongoing harmonisation of points scales between men’s and women’s calendars to create a more uniform ranking framework across disciplines.
Full 2026-2028 Men’s UCI WorldTour calendar
- TBC: Santos Tour Down Under (Australia)
- TBC: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (Australia)
- 16-22 February: UAE Tour (United Arab Emirates)
- 28 February: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (Belgium)
- 7 March: Strade Bianche (Italy)
- 8-15 March: Paris-Nice (France)
- 9-15 March: Tirreno-Adriatico (Italy)
- 21 March: Milano-Sanremo (Italy)
- 23-29 March: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (Spain)
- 25 March: The Great Sprint Classic (Belgium)
- 27 March: E3 Saxo Classic (Belgium)
- 29 March: Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields (Belgium)
- 1 April: Dwars door Vlaanderen – À travers la Flandre (Belgium)
- 5 April: Ronde van Vlaanderen (Belgium)
- 6-11 April: Itzulia Basque Country (Spain)
- 12 April: Paris-Roubaix (France)
- 19 April: Amstel Gold Race (Netherlands)
- 22 April: La Flèche Wallonne (Belgium)
- 26 April: Liège-Bastogne-Liège (Belgium)
- 28 April – 3 May: Tour de Romandie (Switzerland)
- 1 May: Eschborn-Frankfurt (Germany)
- 9-31 May: Giro d’Italia (Italy)
- 7-14 June: Critérium du Dauphiné (France)
- 14-21 June: Tour de Suisse (Switzerland)
- 21 June: Copenhagen Sprint (Denmark)
- 4-26 July: Tour de France (France)
- 1 August: DSSK – Donostia San Sebastián Klasikoa (Spain)
- 3-9 August: Tour de Pologne (Poland)
- 16 August: ADAC Cyclassics (Germany)
- 19-23 August: Renewi Tour (Belgium)
- 22 August – 13 September: La Vuelta Ciclista a España (Spain)
- 30 August: Bretagne Classic – Ouest-France (France)
- 11 September: Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec (Canada)
- 13 September: Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal (Canada)
- 10 October: Il Lombardia (Italy)
- 13-18 October: Tour of Guangxi (China)
