UCI expected to decide on whether there'll an extra Grand Tour wildcard in 2025 within next two weeks

March 26 should be the day we finally learn which teams will be awarded wild cards for 2025 Grand Tours. The UCI has been put under pressure to change its rules and issue one extra wildcard, however some WorldTour teams call for UCI to follow its own rulebook and stay away from undermining its own reputation by making unnecessary exceptions.

Cyclingnews understands the UCI Professional Cycling Council, which governs professional cycling, will meet on March 26 and vote on a request from all three Grand Tour organisers to add a 23rd place so they can award an extra wild place.

Under the UCI rules, the 18 WorldTour teams are automatically invited to the three Grand Tours, with the two best-ranked ProTeams in 2024 also invited but able to opt out. Lotto and Israel-Premier Tech will join the 18 WorldTour teams on the Tour de France start list, but Lotto have opted out of the Giro d'Italia to focus on scoring UCI ranking points in other races.

Allowing a 23rd team would solve some battles of interest for the available wild cards. For the Tour de France, the main applicants are Tudor Pro Cycling, Uno-X Mobility, and TotalEnergies. Under the current rules, one would need to go, albeit all three teams can present strong arguments as to why they should be prioritzed by race organisers.

Tudor Pro Cycling is also in the running for Giro d'Italia wildcard. While starting at Tour would be a big debut for Cancellara's team, they already left their mark at Giro last year with 10th place overall from Michael Strorer. For three Corsa Rosa wildcards, they are up against another Swiss PRT formation Q36.5 Pro Cycling and Italian teams Polti VisitMalta and VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè.

The situation is most dense around Vuelta a Espana with all four Spanish ProTeams interested in riding the Spanish Grand Tour. Equipo Kern Pharma, Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, Euskaltel-Euskadi and Burgos Burpellet BH usually rotate in the wild card invitations at Vuelta, but this year also Q36.5 and Uno-X Mobility want to ride the Spanish Grand Tour. Another spot will make the decision making a little bit easier.