The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world's governing body in the sport of bicycle racing, classifies races according to a rating scale.
The rating is represented by a code made of two or three parts and indicates both the type or style of race (the first part), and its importance or difficulty (the second and third parts, lower being harder). The first part can be an integer or an abbreviation, and the second part, when present, are usually integers. Both parts are separated by a period or decimal point (.).
A higher rated race will result in the successful riders receiving more world ranking points.
UCI race classifications are denoted as follows:
The first part of the code denotes whether the race is one-day '1', or a multi-day (stage) race '2'. The second part of the code indicates the race ranking.[1] From highest to lowest these are;
'.UWT' (UCI World Tour) or '.WWT' (Women’s World Tour),
'.Pro',
'.1',
'.2'.
For example, a race rated 1.1 equates to a one-day, category 1 race.[2] A race classification ‘U’ (e.g. 2.2U) denotes an U-23 race and ‘NCup’ (e.g. 1.NCup) a Nations Cup race involving national teams or ‘mixed teams’.
| Code | Description | Examples | Participation[3] [4] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.UWT 2.UWT | UCI World Tour-races | Tour de France, Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Tour de Suisse, UAE Tour | UCI WorldTeams (compulsory participation). UCI professional continental teams need a wild card In events covered by article 2.15.154: National team of the organising country | |
| 1.WWT 2.WWT | UCI Women's World Tour-races | Strade Bianche Donne, La Flèche Wallonne Féminine, Giro Donne, Simac Ladies Tour | UCI Women's World Teams (compulsory participation) | |
| 1.Pro 2.Pro | One-day race Stage race | Paris–Tours Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne Arctic Race of Norway Tour of Utah Tour de Langkawi Tour of Slovenia Tour de Yorkshire Deutschland Tour Vuelta a San Juan | UCI WorldTeams (max 70%) UCI professional continental teams UCI continental teams (of the country the race is in) National teams (of the country of the organiser) UCI foreign continental teams (max. 2) | |
| 1.1 2.1 | One-day race Stage race | Le Samyn Tour de Taiwan Tour of Slovakia Tour of Thailand Volta A Portugal | UCI WorldTeams (max 50%) UCI professional continental teams UCI continental teams National teams | |
| 1.2 2.2 | One-day race Stage race | Paris–Troyes, Tour de Normandie, International Syrian Tour | UCI professional continental teams of the country UCI continental teams National teams UCI foreign professional continental teams (max. 2) Regional and club teams |
The mountain bike discipline includes the following events comprising the formats listed below:[5]
| XCXCO XCM XCP XCC XCE XCT XCR XCS | Cross-country: XC (Chapter II cross-country events) Cross-country Olympic: XCO Cross-country marathon: XCM Cross-country point-to-point: XCP (point to point) Cross-country short circuit: XCC (Short Track) Cross-country eliminator: XCE Cross-country time trial: XCT (Time Trial) Cross-country team relay: XCR (Team Relay) Cross-country stage race: XCS (Stage races) | |
| DHDHI DHM | Downhill: DH (downhill) (Chapter III downhill events) Downhill individual: DHI Downhill marathon: DHM | |
| 4X | Four cross: 4X (Chapter IV four cross events) | |
| END | Enduro: END (Chapter IVa enduro events) |
All cyclo-cross races are identified by the code 'C'. Again, no decimal point is used in the written form of the classifications.[6]
| Code | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| JO | Olympic Games (Jeux Olympiques) | |
| JR | Regional Games (Jeux Régionaux) | |
| CM | World Championships (Championnat Mondial) | |
| WT | World Tour | |
| GT | Grand Tour | |
| CDM | World Cup (Coupe du Monde) | |
| PRO | ProSeries (Beyond Category) | |
| CN | National Championships (Championnats Nationaux) | |
| CC | Continental Championships (Championnats Continentaux) | |
| CMM | World Masters Championships (Championnats du Monde Masters) | |
| 1 | Category 1 | |
| 2 | Category 2 | |
| 3 | Category 3 |