UCI WorldTeam
At least 4 sports directors and 10 other staff, such as coaches, doctors, paramedical assistants and mechanics (article 2.15.049).
Guide · Staff planning
Staff planning for pro cycling teams: who goes to which race
Staff planning in a pro cycling team means deciding, for every race, who goes, in which role and for which days: sports directors, soigneurs, mechanics, doctors and the rest of the staff. Plan it per race as part of the selection, keep one calendar of everyone's days across the season, and link it to the travel plan so that each person's trip follows from the plan.
Why it gets complicated
One staff, many races at once
The riders change from race to race, and so do the staff around them. The difficulty is not one race, but the overlap between races across the whole programme.
Overlapping programmes
In busy weeks a team can have races running in parallel, sometimes for different divisions. Every race needs its own combination of roles, while the same people are also needed elsewhere a few days later.
Days that add up
A soigneur or mechanic who goes to every stage race in a block quickly collects a lot of days away. Without a running count per person, the load is only noticed when someone is already overloaded.
Roles that come with conditions
Some roles carry their own rules. Every team car in a race needs a licensed sports director, so planning the sports directors also decides which cars can follow the race (see the fleet planning guide).
Travel that follows the plan
Each staff member on a race needs a trip: flights or trains, transfers and the hotel. If the staff plan and the travel plan live in different places, a change in one is easily missed in the other.
UCI rules
The minimum staff the UCI requires
Teams registered with the UCI must employ a minimum number of sports directors and other staff on a full-time basis for the whole registration year. These are the minimums in the UCI Cycling Regulations, Part 2 Road Races (version of 1 September 2026). The planning question is how to spread these people over a programme with overlapping races.
UCI ProTeam
At least 3 sports directors and 5 other staff, such as paramedical assistants and mechanics (article 2.16.001).
UCI Women's WorldTeam
At least 2 sports directors and 5 other paid staff (article 2.13.241). All sports directors must hold the UCI Sports Director Diploma (article 2.13.242).
UCI Women's ProTeam
At least 1 sports director and 3 other paid staff (article 2.19.084). All sports directors must hold the UCI Sports Director Diploma (article 2.19.085).
Checklist
Planning staff for a block of races
A practical order of work, from the race programme to each person's trip.
- Start from the race programme and mark where races overlap.
- For each race, decide which roles are needed: sports directors, soigneurs, mechanics, a doctor, and anyone else.
- Pick the people per role, each with the period they are away (from–to), and name a reserve where it helps.
- Check that every car following the race has a licensed sports director.
- Look at the number of days per person across the season before confirming, and spread the load.
- Book each person on the right transport legs and add the hotel for the race.
- Make sure emergency contacts are recorded for everyone who travels.
- Share the programme so that every staff member can see their own races and trips.
In VelOps
Staff planning in VelOps
VelOps is team management and race logistics software for professional cycling teams (men's, women's and development squads): a back office for races, selections, travel, staff and team cars, plus a rider app. Staff are planned in the same selection as the riders.
- Selection per race with staff grouped by role (such as sports director, soigneur, mechanic and doctor), each with a period and the status Selected or Reserved
- A staff calendar with every staff member's role and number of days, coloured per race; periods can be adjusted straight from the calendar
- Travel per race: transport legs with each traveller's e-ticket code, ticket link and baggage, and an 'also on' flag when someone is booked on another leg
- Emergency contacts recorded per person, with their relation
- A rider app that staff open on their phone too, with their races, their trip and who else is going
FAQ
Staff planning: common questions
How many staff does a UCI WorldTeam need?
Under the UCI Cycling Regulations, each UCI WorldTeam must employ at least 4 sports directors and 10 other staff (such as coaches, doctors, paramedical assistants and mechanics) on a full-time basis for the whole registration year. For a UCI ProTeam the minimum is 3 sports directors and 5 other staff, for a UCI Women's WorldTeam 2 sports directors and 5 other staff, and for a UCI Women's ProTeam 1 sports director and 3 other staff.
Do sports directors need a UCI diploma?
For UCI Women's WorldTeams and UCI Women's ProTeams, all sports directors must hold the UCI Sports Director Diploma. Check the UCI Cycling Regulations for the rules that apply to your team category.
Can staff see their own race programme on their phone in VelOps?
Yes. The VelOps rider app is a web app that riders and staff open on their phone. It shows their races, their trip for each race and who else is going, including the staff on the race with their role.
Can VelOps show how many days each staff member works?
Yes. The staff calendar in VelOps shows every staff member with their role and number of days, coloured per race, and periods can be adjusted straight from the calendar.
Sources
- UCI Cycling Regulations, Part 2 Road Races, version of 1 September 2026: article 2.2.035 (team cars and sports directors), article 2.13.241 and 2.13.242 (UCI Women's WorldTeams), article 2.15.049 (UCI WorldTeams), article 2.16.001 (UCI ProTeams), article 2.19.084 and 2.19.085 (UCI Women's ProTeams). Published at uci.org/regulations; consulted on 7 October 2026. The announced amendments of 19 October 2026 and 1 January 2027 do not change these articles.
- VelOps features: the VelOps race selection, back office and rider app pages.
Published 7 October 2026.
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Plan your staff in VelOps
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