December 16/04 8:50 am - Points System for ProTour Unveiled, ProTour Teams Agree to Ethical Code

Posted by Editoress on 12/16/04
 

Points System for ProTour Unveiled

Points system details for the UCI's ProTour have been released. The new system will replace both the UCI rankings and the World Cup standings.

- Tour de France: 100 points to the winner, then 75, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 12, 9, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 for 20th place.

- Giro and Vuelta: 85 points to the winner, then 65, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 26, 22, 19, 16, 13, 11, 9, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 for 20th place.

- The 'monument' Classics (Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Tour of Lombardy) and other stage races: 50 points to the winner, then 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5 and 1 for 10th place.

- Other one-day races: 40, 30, 25, 20, 15, 11, 7, 5, 3 and 1 for 10th place.

- World championship: 50, 40 and 35 for 3rd place.

- Stage results: 3, 2 and 1 in the major tours; 1 point for a stage win in the other multi-day events.


ProTour Teams Agree to Ethical Code

All 19 teams that have been invited to take part in the 2005 ProTour have agreed to sign an ethical code at a meeting yesterday with the International Association of Professional Cycling Groups (AIGCP) in Montreux, Switzerland.

AIGCP VP Roger Legeay, "The accord we have agreed takes a hard line with regard to an ethical code. The teams wanted to go as far as they could from the legal point of view and tackle fundamental problems."

15 items on the list include and automatic suspension of any rider as soon as it is announced they have tested positive and the immediate firing of any rider who is confirmed as positive at the end of a testing procedure. The firing will add the rider to a "blacklist" - no riding for any ProTeam for 4 years.

The code will apply to only ProTour races, but the teams have requested that all continental teams abide by the same code.

Topic still under discussion are removal of team points from the team of a positive testing rider.

The UCI has yet to adopt/accept the code of ethics.