## Chapter VI STAGE RACES (N) 

(numbering of the articles modified on 1.01.05; articles 2.6.003 bis and 2.6.003 ter abrogated on 1.01.05). 

## Method 

2.6.001 Stage races shall be run over a minimum of two days with a general time classification. They shall be run in road race stages and time trial stages. 

2.6.002 Unless otherwise stipulated hereafter, road race stages shall be run in the same manner as one-day races and time trial stages shall be governed by the provisions governing time trials. 

2.6.003 Team time trial stages shall take place during the first third of the race. 

(article introduced on 1.01.05). 

## Participation 

2.6.004 Stage races shall be run solely by teams and, where authorized by these regulations, by mixed teams. 

2.6.005 [article abrogated on 1.07.10]. 

(text modified on 1.01.05). 

## Prologue 

2.6.006 A prologue may be included in stage races on condition that: 

1. it must not exceed 8 km; for an elite or juniors women's or juniors men's race, the prologue must be less than 4 km; 

2. the prologue must be run as an individual time trial. If more than 60 riders are involved, the interval between the start of any two riders shall not exceed one minute; 

3. it counts towards the individual general classification; 

4. any rider who suffers an accident during the prologue and is unable to complete the distance shall nevertheless be permitted to race the following day and be credited with the time of the last ranked rider; 

5. no rider may participate or be made to participate in a second race on the same day as the prologue; 

6. the prologue shall count as a race day. 

(text modified on 1.01.05). 

## Duration 

2.6.007 The durations indicated below correspond to the total number of days occupied on the calendar, i.e. both days of competition, including any prologue, and rest days. 

## UCI WorldTour 

The duration of the events is determined by the Professional Cycling Council. 

For Grands tours, the duration must be between 15 and 23 days. 

For all UCI WorldTour events, the organiser may ask, every four years, for one additional day in order to organise the start in a non-adjacent territory to the country of the event and/or requiring a long transfer. Any such request must be submitted at least one year before the event and will be reviewed at the Professional Cycling Council’s discretion. 

