The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI. Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series. It was initially the basis of a season long competition for rankings points, created for 2005 to replace the UCI Road World Cup series, which ended at the end of the 2004 season. The ProTour was the subject of continuing disputes involving the UCI, cycling teams, and the organizers of the world's most prominent bicycle races, and in 2009 and 2010 the ranking element of the ProTour was superseded by the UCI World Ranking. For 2011, the ProTour and World Ranking were fully merged into the UCI World Tour. ProTour status for teams – relabelled UCI ProTeams – will continue as the highest level of registration, and will carry the right and obligation to participate in all World Tour races.
The 2006 Tour de Georgia was a six-stage race held April 18 through April 23, 2006 with the overall title won by Floyd Landis of the Phonak. American Fred Rodriguez (Davitamon–Lotto) claimed the points jersey for sprinters. Jason McCartney won his second KOM crown; he previously won the 2004 climbers title. McCartney's teammate Janez Brajkovič won the Best Young Rider competition. Celebrity bike riders from Mountain Home, Arkansas, Gary and Zach Beck, made cameo appearances at the fifth stage to the Brasstown Bald and the final stage to Alpharetta.
Team 3C Casalinghi Jet Androni Giocattoli was a professional continental cycling team based in Italy that participates in UCI Continental Circuits races and when selected as a wildcard to UCI ProTour events. The team is managed by Mario Manzoni with Massimo Rabbaglio assisting as a directeur sportif. For the 2007 season, the team merged into the Team L.P.R. structure.
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world's governing body in the sport of bicycle racing, classifies races according to a rating scale.
The 2008 Tour de Georgia was a seven-stage professional bicycle race held from April 21 through April 27, 2008 across the state of Georgia. The race was part of the 2008 USA Cycling Pro Tour and 2007–08 UCI America Tour, and was presented by AT&T.
In 2009 a number of prominent riders returned to professional cycling. Ivan Basso, Floyd Landis and Michele Scarponi had finished a suspension. Bjorn Leukemans was without a team for over a year due to doping-related allegations, which were proven to be ungrounded. Most notably, seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong returned after a three-and-half year break, starting his season as a Astana-rider in the Tour Down Under.
The UCI WorldTour is the premier men's elite road cycling tour, sitting above the UCI ProSeries and various regional UCI Continental Circuits. It refers to both the tour of 38 events and, until 2019, an annual ranking system based upon performances in these. The World Ranking was launched in 2009, and merged fully with its predecessor the UCI ProTour in 2011. UCI WorldTeams must compete at all events that were part of the tour prior to the 2017 expansion.
The Tour of the Gila is a cycling stage race for both men and women located in New Mexico, United States. It is sponsored by the component maker SRAM. The "Gila" began in 1987. Beginning in 2012, the men's Gila has been added to the UCI America Tour as a UCI classification 2.2 stage race, which permits UCI ProTeams to enter if they so choose; beginning in 2015, the women's Gila has also been added to the women's UCI international tour as a UCI classification 2.2 stage race.
Team Novo Nordisk is an all-diabetic professional cycling team founded by CEO Phil Southerland and led by general manager Vassili Davidenko. It is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
The UCI men's road racing world rankings are a point system which is used to rank men's road cycling riders. Points are accrued over a rolling 52 weeks in three categories.
Tsgabu Gebremaryam Grmay is an Ethiopian retired professional road cyclist from Tigray, who last rode for UCI WorldTeam Team Jayco–AlUla. He is a three time national road race champion, six time national time trial champion, and one time African time trial champion. Tsgabu became the first Ethiopian professional cyclist when he joined MTN–Qhubeka in 2012. In 2013 Tsgabu became the first Ethiopian to win an international cycling event when he won the fifth stage of the Tour de Taiwan. He made his UCI World Tour debut at the 2013 Giro di Lombardia.
T.Palm– was a UCI Continental team founded in 2006 and based in Belgium. It participated in UCI Continental Circuits races.
The UCI 1.HC and UCI 2.HC were the second tier classification of road cycling races by the UCI, after the UCI World Tour. They are now replaced by the UCI UCI ProSeries. The races were part of the various UCI Continental Circuits. The 1.HC events were one-day races, whereas the 2.HC events were stage races. 'HC' stands for the French phrase hors catégorie, which means beyond categorization. In 2020, the .HC races were replaced by the UCI ProSeries
The UCI ProSeries is the second tier men's elite road cycling tour. It was inaugurated in 2020. The series is placed below the UCI World Tour, but above the various regional UCI Continental Circuits.
The 2021 Royal Bernard Drôme Classic was the 8th edition of the Royal Bernard Drôme Classic cycle race. It was held on 28 February 2021 as a category 1.Pro race on the 2021 UCI Europe Tour and the 2021 UCI ProSeries. For the first time since 2014, the race did not start and/or finish in Livron-sur-Drôme. Instead, the race started and finished in nearby Eurre and featured five climbs, including a triple ascent of the Mur d'Eurre, the last of which summited with five kilometers left. It formed a pair of races on the same weekend with the 2021 Faun-Ardèche Classic, held on the previous day, with both races being organized by Boucles Drôme Ardèche.
