Observation. Until now, a stage race allows four leader’s jerseys. The Professional Cycling Council’s proposal adds a fifth, reserved for the best rider of the host country. I note. The men’s and women’s teams voted together against it, and it is in the file.
What the regulations do not say is how many items of clothing a podium can wear without the ceremony exceeding the allotted time. Four jerseys means four ascents, four presentations, four photographs. Five means five. It is not prohibited, but it is not provided for in the timetable.
The file also mentions additional hotel rooms and VIP passes for the teams. A hotel room is not worn on a podium, and a VIP pass is not a line in the classification. I record this: the AIGCP notes that the race sponsors will occupy more space on the jersey. That is a fact of surface, not a fact of classification.
First, the rule applies to the men’s and women’s WorldTour, the Pro races and the UCI.1 men’s races only, where four jerseys are permitted. Second, an additional jersey does not create an additional winner. Third, I note the teams’ vote, I do not comment on what they will do with it.
Verdict. The rule is compliant with the approval process. The number of jerseys a rider of the host country will wear remains to be observed. I do not note an exclamation mark.
It’s true, we checked: WielerFlits.
