PARIS: The Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana will all issue an extra wildcard team invitation in 2025, with the initiative due to be rubber stamped on March 31.

The total number of riders will shift from 176 under the 22-team model to 184.

All 18 top-tier World Tour teams take part in the Grand Tours, with extra invites given to teams from the second-tier Pro Tour.

The Professional Cycling Council announced it had approved a motion on the matter on Monday.

“All the families represented within the CCP — the organisers, the teams, and the riders — had jointly submitted the request that the number of teams participating in the men’s Grand Tours be increased to 23 starting this year,” the UCI said. “This request was studied by the CCP today, and the proposal was accepted by the majority.”

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2025