UCI Africa Tour: Salaheddine Mraouni heads Moroccan triple

With three riders on the podium, Morocco is the top nation of the UCI Africa Tour. At 23 years of age, Salaheddine Mraouni (289 points) claims the top spot after a successful year, not least his victories in the team time trial at the Tropicale Amissa Bongo (Gabon) as well as the Challenge du Prince – Trophée Princier and the Challenges de la Marche Verte – GP Sakia El Hamra.

Mouhssine Lahsaini (271 points) and Essaïd Abelouache (240 points) complete the podium. Abelouache stole the third place from Tunisia’s Rafaa Chtioui, winner of the Tropicale Amissa Bongo, and who led the rankings for a good part of the season. All is not lost for the Tunisian whose team Skydive Dubaï Pro Cycling Team – Al Ahli Club (571 points) takes the teams ranking in front of the Groupement sportif des Pétroliers Algérie (499 points). Before joining the UCI WorldTour under the name Dimension Data, MTN Qhubeka (471.02 points) rounds out the podium.

In the nations ranking, Morocco finished with 1704 points in front of Algeria (1161.8 points) and South Africa (876.88 points).

The 2016 UCI Africa Tour kicked off  with the Tour of Egypt, which took place from December 28 to January 3.

UCI America Tour: Victory for Skujins before joining the UCI WorldTour

Toms Skujins, 24, is ready to start the second chapter of his career with Cannondale Pro Cycling Team. The Latvian bows out of the UCI America Tour with a victory in the overall rankings. Racing for Hincapie Racing Team, he finished the season with 208.4 points. Ecuador’s Bayron Guama de la Cruz (198 points), Pan American Champion and winner of the Volta Ciclistica Internacional do Rio Grande do Sul, takes second place in front of Canada’s Michael Woods (179 points), second in the Tour of Utah.

Skujins had a full year, notably with victory in the third stage of the Amgen Tour of California and second overall in the Tour de Beauce.

Optum P/B Kelly Benefit Strategies claims the teams ranking with 494 points in front of Funvic Sao José Dos Campos (481 points) and Hincapie Racing Team (400 points).

Colombia is the top nation (890.35 points) in front of Canada (850 points) and Argentina (804 points).

The first event of the 2016 UCI America Tour, the Vuelta al Tachira en Bicicleta, will take place from January 8 to 17.

UCI Asia Tour: Pourseyedigolakhour saves his spot

Winner of the Tour of Iran, the Tour of Japan and the Tour de Taiwan, Mirsamad Pourseyedigolakhour (Tabriz Petrochemical Team) wins the UCI Asia Tour by just 16 points! The Iranian hung onto his first place with 378 points, while the Italian Jakub Mareczko finished the season with gusto to reach 362 points. He won seven of the nine stages of the Tour du Lac Taihu and a stage of the Tour de Hainan. Fellow Italian Andrea Palini steals third place in the UCI Asia Tour rankings from Hossein Askari thanks in large part to two stages wins in the Tour de Hainan and seventh overall in the Tour of Al Zubarah.

Iran is the clear winner of the nations ranking with 1655 points in front of Kazakhstan (602 points) and Japan (541 points).

Pishgaman Giant Team (990.25 points) is the top team, while Skydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team - Al Ahli Club, winner of the UCI Africa Tour, finishes second with 839 points. Tabriz Petrochemical Team takes third place with 726 points.

The first event of the 2016 UCI Asia Tour will begin on January 21 with the Asian Championships.