World Tour Wildcards 2023

[pastronef]

surelo Caja Rural will get a Vuelta WC after missing ut last year. I think it's Burgos turn to stay home this year (depends if Total rides the Vuelta)

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Wild Cards for Omloop (25/2):
Bingoal, Flanders, Human Powered Health, Israel-Premier Tech, Lotto-Dstny, TotalEnergies, Uno-X

 

[RedheadDane]

Paris-Roubaix:

In 2022 there were 25 teams at start line. The following 7 Pro Teams were at start line: Arkea, Alpecin, Total, Bingoal, Sport Vlaanderen, B&B and Uno-X

For 2023, let's assume they will fill all 25 spots again, meaning 7 wild cards. I think it's pretty obvious who will get them:

1. Lotto - Automatic
2. Total - Automatic
3. Israel - Automatic
4. Uno-X - Good cobble squad and seems to have a good relationship with ASO.
5. Bingoal - A team more or less designated for flat classics, should be in.
6. Flanders Baloise - A team more or less designated for flat classics, should be in.
7. Q36,5 - Devriendt was 4th last year. In lack of other ProTeams with a solid cobble classics department, that should be enough.

I don't see any other ProTeam really challenge any of these 7.

Congratulations! You win the right to have a piece of cake.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Wild cards for Paris-Roubaix (9/4):
Bingoal, Flanders, Israel-Premier Tech, Lotto-Dstny, Q36.5, TotalEnergies, Uno-X

 

[tobydawq]

Congratulations! You win the right to have a piece of cake.

Why does he get a prize when I never do?

 

[RedheadDane]

Why does he get a prize when I never do?

I was just feeling nice this morning, coz the sun is shining, and it's Friday.

 

[pastronef]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1637043880582340610

View: https://twitter.com/raulbanqueri/status/1637043880582340610

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Not concerned by 50. 40 doesn't seem too bad. Top 30 I think is too restrictive.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Not concerned by 50. 40 doesn't seem too bad. Top 30 I think is too restrictive.

We'll also have to see how the new system, where the points from the top 20 riders count, will affect the rankings. I assume it will make it easier for ProTeams to outscore the Conti teams. If the top 30 only consists of WT and ProTeams, then you still don't even have to be among the best 50% of ProTeams to be in consideration for a wildcard.

The Spanish teams have of course had a hard time making the top 30 in the past, but if it means that only the storngest of them get to ride the Vuelta, then it's fine by me (as long as it's Euskaltel of course. I'm still mad they won't be riding it this year when Carlos Canal would 100% win a stage).

 

[Libertine Seguros]

We'll also have to see how the new system, where the points from the top 20 riders count, will affect the rankings. I assume it will make it easier for ProTeams to outscore the Conti teams. If the top 30 only consists of WT and ProTeams, then you still don't even have to be among the best 50% of ProTeams to be in consideration for a wildcard.

The Spanish teams have of course had a hard time making the top 30 in the past, but if it means that only the storngest of them get to ride the Vuelta, then it's fine by me (as long as it's Euskaltel of course. I'm still mad they won't be riding it this year when Carlos Canal would 100% win a stage).

And in monuments and WT one dayers with 25 teams that's just gonna mean the same teams over and over... and because they have the best chances to score points because they do those races, they race into a huge lead in the points.

It's likely to lead to either ludicrous points farming where a team like Caja Rural goes and fills its boots sending its best riders to those Turkish one day races, or we see a huge upsurge in pop-up races, like fill the women's calendar running ahead of the OIympics, late additions to the calendar when all the top teams have set their schedules, designed solely around getting domestic nations enough points to qualify a rider for the Olympics.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

If the top 30 only consists of WT and ProTeams, then you still don't even have to be among the best 50% of ProTeams to be in consideration for a wildcard.

I don't think this is intended to overwrite the rule whereby only ProTeams can be given Wild Cards for WT races.

And in monuments and WT one dayers with 25 teams that's just gonna mean the same teams over and over... and because they have the best chances to score points because they do those races, they race into a huge lead in the points.

It is only GTs that this top 30 rule is to apply to (unless there is some unpublicised intention to extend it further): if a race organiser wants to invite a PT that was outperformed by a couple of dozen Conti teams in the previous season to their monument, they are welcome to.

 

[Izzyeviel]

Are we sure its just for the Grand Tours? The wording makes it sound like any race that is organised by the ASO/RCS?

 

[search]

Are we sure its just for the Grand Tours? The wording makes it sound like any race that is organised by the ASO/RCS?

I'd think so, even if it's possible to read "a 'wild-card' invitation from a Grand Tour organiser" as if it included other races by the same organiser. Makes no sense to me at all when Flanders Classics could invite everyone they want for the Ronde, but ASO only Top 30/40/50 for Roubaix.

 

[Izzyeviel]

yeah, but it is the UCI we're talking about...