GPS tracking, revamped points system and genetic tracking for female cyclists - UCI announce new changes into 2027
Cycling
The UCI has used the 2026 World Championships in Montreal to approve a wide-ranging package of changes that will shape professional cycling from the 2027 season onwards.
The governing body's Management Committee met in Canada between September 20 and 22, confirming changes across professional road cycling, safety, race calendars, equipment regulations and the points system. Among the most notable decisions is a major calendar change for La Vuelta Femenina, which will move to October from 2027.
Other measures include new standards for finish-line barriers, plans to expand GPS tracking of riders and race vehicles, a revised points system for road riders competing in other disciplines, and a new consultation framework involving equipment manufacturers.
New barriers mandatory in the final 200 metres
Finish-line safety will be one of the biggest areas of change from 2027, with the UCI approving new requirements for barriers used in the closing stages of races.
From the 2027 season, races on the UCI WorldTour and UCI Women's WorldTour will be required to use barriers meeting specific standards throughout the final 200 metres before the finish line.
The requirements are based on research carried out by the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland Valais-Wallis. The resulting protocol will be made available to manufacturers so that products can be adapted to meet the new specifications.
UCI pushes ahead with real-time GPS tracking
The UCI has also reiterated its intention to expand the use of GPS-based safety tracking across professional road racing.
The system is designed to provide real-time information on the position of riders and race vehicles, with the initial rollout focused on WorldTour and Women's WorldTour events. The UCI will now develop the necessary protocols, regulations and implementation timetable.
GPS tracking was used across all categories at the 2025 World Championships in Kigali and again at Montreal 2026, and will continue to feature at future editions of the World Championships.
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New points for road riders competing in other disciplines
Another change coming into force in 2027 concerns the UCI points system.
A new points scale has been approved for road riders competing in other cycling disciplines, expanding the existing system that allows road teams to earn points towards the UCI World Ranking through their riders' performances elsewhere.
Eligible events will include World Championships and World Cups in cyclocross, track and mountain bike, as well as the Gravel World Championships.
Major calendar change for La Vuelta Femenina
La Vuelta España Femenina by Carrefour.es will move to a completely different position on the calendar from 2027. The race will take place from October 3 to 10, immediately after the men's Vuelta a España.
That move will also affect the Vuelta a Burgos Féminas, which will switch to May 6-10 and take over the dates previously occupied by La Vuelta Femenina. On the men's WorldTour calendar, Eschborn-Frankfurt will return to its traditional May 1 date.
New mandatory training for sports directors
The UCI has created a second level of certification for sports directors, building on the qualification already required for those working with professional teams.
Ahead of the 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships in Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc, all sports directors working with national teams will be required to obtain the certification through an online course. From 2028, the requirement will also apply to sports directors working with UCI Continental and UCI Women's Continental teams.
Cycling industry to have greater input on equipment rules
The UCI also plans to change the way cycling equipment regulations are developed by introducing a new consultation framework involving manufacturers and other industry stakeholders.
Manufacturers and independent experts will be able to contribute directly to technical discussions surrounding equipment regulations, with rider safety remaining central to the process.
A series of specialist Technical Committees will be created for different product categories, including clothing, protective equipment, wheels, tyres and frames.
The committees will include representatives from the cycling industry, independent experts and the UCI, with balanced representation between the governing body and the industry. Following an initial pilot phase covering track, gravel and wheels, the system will be expanded across all committees from February 2027.
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Lugano Charter to be reviewed after 30 years
The UCI has also launched a review of the Lugano Charter, the document outlining the principles and values of international cycling that was adopted in 1996.
Three decades later, the governing body believes the charter requires updating to reflect changes in sporting practices, wider social issues and modern safety requirements.
A draft will be prepared before a consultation period involving different areas of the sport and equipment manufacturers between February and April 2027. The revised charter is then due to be presented later that year.
UCI study finds more severe injuries among female riders
The governing body has also received the first data from its study into crashes in road cycling, launched in March 2026 across WorldTour and Women's WorldTour races.
After five months of monitoring, the initial findings indicate that injuries are more frequent and generally more severe among female riders than male riders, while the average time required to return to competition is around twice as long.
The study remains ongoing, with the resulting database intended to help guide future risk-reduction measures and assess their effectiveness.
New rules for women at 2028 Olympic Games
UCI implements female genetic testing for 2028 Olympic Games. In recent years, there has been a debate on transgenders athletes, something which the UCI has taken note of, and something which will be implemented for the Olympic Games.
Only biological women who do not carry the SRY gene will be able to compete in women category.
Junior Nations Cup gets new format
The new UCI Junior Road Nations Cup now has a calendar for its inaugural season in 2027.
Eleven events will be held between February and July: four in Europe, four in the Americas, two in Oceania and one in Africa. An Asian round has yet to be confirmed.
Each event will feature both men's and women's races, with teams of five riders and national selections expected to make up the majority of the field. The format is intended to make participation easier while reducing travel distances.
There will be four classifications: men's and women's continental rankings, which will determine qualification for the final, and men's and women's national rankings, which will be used to establish quotas for the Road World Championships.
Italy's Piccola Tre Valli Varesine will host the final from July 29 to August 1, 2027, with 26 men's and 26 women's teams taking part.
Motor-paced racing returns to the World Championships
One of the more eye-catching changes concerns the track programme, with the UCI approving the return of motor-paced racing to the World Championships.
The discipline will feature at the 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships in Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc, marking its first appearance on a World Championships programme in more than 30 years. Its previous appearance came in Palermo in 1994.
Riders compete behind a motorcycle to benefit from the slipstream, and the discipline will return with another historic change: both men's and women's competitions will be held at the World Championships for the first time.
More support for emerging cycling nations
The UCI has also announced additional support measures ahead of the 2027 World Championships.
Working with the UCI World Cycling Centre, it will organise a month-long training camp in France before the championships.
National federations from emerging cycling nations will be invited to send two young riders, one man and one woman, while the UCI Solidarity Programme will also be expanded to help fund their participation.
The changes approved in Montreal will begin reshaping several areas of professional cycling from 2027, with the October move for La Vuelta Femenina joining new finish-line safety standards, expanded GPS tracking and changes to equipment regulation among the most significant measures.
Juan LarraCycling Journalist
Juan Larra is a writer for Cyclinguptodate and editor-in-chief of Ciclismoaldia, where he has played a central role since its inception. Under his leadership, the website has become a trusted source for professional cycling coverage, offering in-depth analysis, news, and feature stories.
A sports journalist with over 20 years of experience, Juan earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Seville in 2007. He began his career covering a wide range of sports—including football, basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, tennis, and cycling—for platforms such as the official La Liga app, Vodafone and Movistar websites, NBA Blogdebasket, and Cadena Cope, honing his skills in writing and editorial management.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Juan contributes to Cyclinguptodate and serves as editor-in-chief for the tennis-focused site Tenisaldia. Throughout his career, he has conducted exclusive interviews with cyclists and sports figures, provided detailed analysis of competitions ranging from local Spanish races to major international events, and acted as a special correspondent at prestigious races including Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España.
Juan’s combination of experience, expertise, and direct access to athletes has established him—and the platforms he leads—as authoritative voices in professional cycling.
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