Joaquim Rodriguez suggesting to implement major changes in the UCI points system
Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver of Team Katusha has called up to bring some major changes in the UCI World Tour point system, in order to ensure that the team leaders and domestiques get more credit.
He believes that, “It’s very unbalanced because the points system does not give anything to those who finish further down the classification. They should set it up so it provides a much broader range of points,” while talking to Cyclingnews.
Team Katusha cyclist noted that winner of the event should not finish with 600 point, instead he should have at least 15,000 points to his credit as this will also allow the team domestiques to finish somewhere around 300 to 400 points.
While giving an example of the Dutch rider, Joost Posthuma who had to retire because he never had enough World Tour points in his pocket to help the team and was dropped from the squad.
“Posthuma didn’t get a team because he didn’t have any points, it’s a total disgrace,” Rodriguez said.
“They should triple or quadruple the point’s value and increase the number of riders that get points up to the guy who finishes thirtieth”.
“Or if somebody wins, then his team-mates should automatically get some points as well”.
Joost was part of the strong Team Leopard Trek squad that helped Andy Schleck and Frank Schleck in securing the second and the third podium positions during the Tour de France 2011.
“Given they [UCI] want to sort out all kinds of things there, this should be on the list of their priorities as well”.
The 33-year-old occupied the top overall position with 692 UCI points after the UCI World Tour Elite Men rankings 2012.
This year’s Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins finished 91 points behind at the second spot with Tom Boonen (410 points), Vincenzo Nibali (400 points), Alejandro Valverde (394 points), Simon Gerrans (390 points) and Chris Froome (376 points) securing
the next five positions respectively.
The Spaniard claimed podium spots at the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a Espana along with multiple stage victories at both the Grand Tours.
He finished first at the La Fleche Wallonne, Giro di Lombardia along with stage victories at the Tour of the Basque Country and the Tirreno-Adriatico 2012.
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