The Tour, Giro and Vuelta reject plans to cut the Grand Tours to 16 days

The possibility of shortening the Grand Tours to just over two weeks has already found a strong response. Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France, has made it clear that he does not consider modifying the duration of his race. And he is not the only organizer who opposes this idea.

The Tour is untouchable: Prudhomme rejects the proposal to reduce the Grand Tours

The UCI has just opened one of the most important debates about the future of professional cycling. Among the proposals included in its document Future of Road Cycling is the possibility of reducing the Grand Tours from 21 to 16 days of competition, a measure that would help alleviate the calendar and enable the best cyclists to participate in more races during the same season.

However, Christian Prudhomme does not seem willing to give up the traditional format of the Tour de France.

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During a meeting with the press held on Friday, in the context of preparations for the 2027 Tour, the head of the French race was asked about this possibility. His response, reported by RMC Sport, was blunt:

"The Tour de France lasts three weeks, four weekends, and it is very well like this."

Prudhomme added that the debate about reducing days would affect certain Grand Tours, words that seem to point directly at the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España. In this way, the director of the Tour hints that any reorganization of the calendar should be done without altering the duration of the French race. 

The Giro and the Vuelta also do not want to lose days

But the Tour's stance is not the only one that has emerged. Luca Guercilena, the new head of the Giro d'Italia, has also rejected the possibility of reducing his race to 16 stages.

In statements to Domestique during Il Lombardia, Guercilena argued that the three Grand Tours must maintain the same duration. According to the Italian, the three weeks are precisely what allows testing the endurance of the riders and distinguishing those who have the necessary conditions to win a race of this nature.

Javier Guillén, director of the Vuelta a España, also does not seem willing to accept changes. In statements reported by Marca, Guillén stated that the Spanish organization is not in favor of eliminating stages, not even one, and reminded that there is currently no institutional negotiation to implement this measure.

For now, the UCI's proposal remains a possibility arising from consultations with various stakeholders in professional cycling, not an approved reform.

What already seems evident is that reducing the Grand Tours to 16 days will face strong resistance from its three main organizers. The UCI aims to advance in defining the reforms in the coming months, but changing one of the most traditional formats in cycling presents itself as one of its greatest challenges.