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World Tour Wildcards 2023

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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. :shortcake:
 
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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).
 
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.
 
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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.
 
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.
 
My guess for 2024:
- Lotto and Israel get the automatic wild cards for all three grand tours.

Giro: Tudor and Eolo (they won a stage this year)
Tour: Total and Uno-X
Vuelta: two Spanish teams.

If either Lotto or Israel declines Giro or Vuelta I’d say the extra spot is between Bardiani, Q36.5 and Corratec for Giro and for the remaining two Spanish teams for the Vuelta.

I think we will see a big spread in Wild Cards and I think no team that fails to secure automatic wild card will manage to get two GT wild cards neither in 2024 or 2025.
 
I think RCS will begin early talks with Polti-Eolo and Bardiani about all their races. one of them will get all RCS wild cards but Giro. TUDOR will be there for sure, RCS sponsor, and they already got an invitation this year which they declined.

at the Tour surely Total will get a wild card and probably Uno-X again

Vuelta I don't know. it depends if some teams skips Giro or Vuelta
 
with Uno-X and Tudor setting up great teams, and Lotto and Israel getting good points, I fear for Total, Bardiani, Eolo-Polti, and the Spanish pro-conti teams for the future GT wild cards. there will be heartbreaks in the next few years for sure
Being French Total are most likely ok in July, no sympathy for them if they are not.
Sponsor is dripping money from their profits. If they want to guarantee being on TV cough up more dough to strengthen the team.
 
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Eolo will stay with Polti (as a secondary sponsor)

so Tudor and Eolo are RCS partners, I think the 2 teams get the 2 Giro wild cards.
Israel racked so many points that they'll get all WT races in 2024, don't know about Lotto.

Bardiani could get a Giro spot if hopefully Lotto will skip the Giro again
 
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