Longer Parcours=Lower UCI Rating

[B. Lafferty]

From today's CyclingNews:

This year the 83rd edition of the Paris-Bruxelles classic will be run on a shortened parcours, but
organiser Pascal Demol hopes for typically exciting racing thanks to a strong line up of top one-day
riders. The race downgraded by the UCI last year from a 1.1 event to a 1.2, primarily because of an
excessively long parcours. Scheduled for Saturday, September 13, Paris-Bruxelles will total 222.5
kilometres, starting as usual in Soissons, France, to the northeast of Paris.

Demol is eager to regain UCI 1.1 status for his event, and although typically a sprinter's race, the
Côte du Mont Saint-Roch with 45km to go should help liven up the finale. "The parcours is certainly
easier this year," Demol told La Dernière Heure, "but we're counting on the riders to put on a
passionate race for the fans of cycling."

[Van Hoorebeeck]

Dumbass -

UCI downgraded P-B because the course was too long LAST year. It's a sanction.

That's why it is called 'easier' this time.

The long distance was a historical characteristic of this race. UCI doesn't approve and wants all
races pushed in their requirements by category. Out of respect for what used to be a classic, they
should have kept the distance of this one. Although, as in MSR, it doesnt trigger attrition like it
did some decades ago.

Wait a minute, isn't 222 kms too long for 1.2 ? That will be 1.3 next year then.

Thanks,
B.

[B. Lafferty]

Some sample distances since WWII by decade:

1951 326km 52 295km

61 289km 62 291km

73 294km 74 287km

83 301km 84 305km

92 258km 93 251km

"B. Lafferty" <javaeye@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:5YJ2b.13960$8i2.430@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> From today's CyclingNews:
>
> This year the 83rd edition of the Paris-Bruxelles classic will be run on a shortened parcours, but
> organiser Pascal Demol hopes for typically
exciting
> racing thanks to a strong line up of top one-day riders. The race
downgraded
> by the UCI last year from a 1.1 event to a 1.2, primarily because of an excessively long parcours.
> Scheduled for Saturday, September 13, Paris-Bruxelles will total 222.5 kilometres, starting as
> usual in
Soissons,
> France, to the northeast of Paris.
>
> Demol is eager to regain UCI 1.1 status for his event, and although typically a sprinter's race,
> the Côte du Mont Saint-Roch with 45km to go should help liven up the finale. "The parcours is
> certainly easier this year," Demol told La Dernière Heure, "but we're counting on the riders to
> put on a passionate race for the fans of cycling."

[B. Lafferty]

Lower as in reduced status.

"Van Hoorebeeck Bart" <bart.vanhoorebeeck@wvc.vlaanderen.be> wrote in message
news:3F4B6D2D.DFC3ABFE@wvc.vlaanderen.be...
> Dumbass -
>
> UCI downgraded P-B because the course was too long LAST year. It's a
sanction.
>
> That's why it is called 'easier' this time.
>
> The long distance was a historical characteristic of this race. UCI
doesn't
> approve and wants all races pushed in their requirements by category. Out of respect for what used
> to be a classic, they should have kept the
distance
> of this one. Although, as in MSR, it doesnt trigger attrition like it did
some
> decades ago.
>
> Wait a minute, isn't 222 kms too long for 1.2 ? That will be 1.3 next year
then.
>
> Thanks,
> B.

[Robert Chung]

B. Lafferty wrote:
> Some sample distances since WWII by decade:
>
> 1951 326km 52 295km
>
> 61 289km 62 291km
>
> 73 294km 74 287km
>
> 83 301km 84 305km
>
> 92 258km 93 251km
>

UCI rules on length of one-day road races: http://www.uci.ch/english/about/rules/ch02_road.pdf

See 2.3.002.

[Van Hoorebeeck]

"B. Lafferty" schreef:

> Lower as in reduced status.
>

I fell over the 'equation'. as you indicated later, they are ever shortening, yet keep on
losing status.

[B. Lafferty]

"Van Hoorebeeck Bart" <bart.vanhoorebeeck@wvc.vlaanderen.be> wrote in message
news:3F4B6F2B.92947B34@wvc.vlaanderen.be...
>
>
> "B. Lafferty" schreef:
>
> > Lower as in reduced status.
> >
>
> I fell over the 'equation'. as you indicated later, they are ever shortening, yet keep on losing
status.

The equasion was not well stated---math is not a strength.

[B. Lafferty]

"Robert Chung" <invalid@nospam.com> wrote in message news:3f4b6fb0$0$16152> UCI rules on length of
one-day road races:
> http://www.uci.ch/english/about/rules/ch02_road.pdf
>
> See 2.3.002.

The maximum distance for one-day road races shall be as follows: For events on continental calendars
other than that of Europe, exemptions may be made by the UCI Management Committee or, for events in
classes 4 and above, by the Professional Cycling Council.
2.3.002 Category Maximum distance (km) Juniors 140 Under 23s 180 Elite . 250 (World Cup events)
. 230 Paris-Brussels.
. 200 (other events) Men: . The following races may be ridden over their traditional distances:
Milan-San Remo, Tour des Flandres, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Paris-Tours, Giro di
Lombardia Masters 150 Women: Juniors 80 Elite 140

[Robert Chung]

B. Lafferty wrote:
> The maximum distance for one-day road races shall be as follows: Elite . 250 (World Cup events)
> . 230 Paris-Brussels.
> . 200 (other events) Men: . The following races may be ridden over their traditional distances:
> Milan-San Remo, Tour des Flandres, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Paris-Tours, Giro di
> Lombardia

Right. Exceptions were made for the sake of "tradition" in the case of the monuments. In fact,
Paris-Brussels is also in its own special category.

Your table earlier about how the length of the race has decreased goes hand-in-hand with the
distance trend in the TdF: http://mywebpage.netscape.com/rechung/temp/tdf.png