Due to the confusion about the number of riders each country qualifies for the 2013 Road World Championships, where we presented our own calculations that then didn’t match the official numbers, CyclingQuotes.com has contacted the UCI to get an explanation on their interpretation of the qualification rules.

UCI press officer Louis Chenaille answered: “The qualification system through the UCI WorldTour involves a maximum of nine starters with a minimum of six. After a minimum of six is established, nations can complete their quota through their respective continental circuit. This provides the maximum benefit to the Nations within the top ten of the UCI WorldTour ranking. The UCI does acknowledge that the way the qualification system is currently written, it can be interpreted in other manners.”
 

In other words, nations in the top ten of the WorldTour nations ranking will always qualify at least six riders, even if they have less than six riders classified in the WorldTour. This number can then be augmented via the continental circuits.

Despite numerous requests, the UCI did not wish to comment on the case of Kazakhstan who in 2010 qualified only six starters, even though the country was 10th in the world ranking by nations and 3rd in the Asia Tour nations ranking on 15th August 2010 – which should, under the rules as they’re interpreted today, have given Kazakhstan a contingent of nine riders at that year’s world championships.

However, Chenaille promised an overhaul of the rules, saying that “the qualification system will be rephrased in the future to avoid misinterpretations.”