Grand Tour organisers have announced a reduction of the number of riders at their races in a move aimed at improving safety and increasing competition.
The Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Spanish Vuelta organisers said in a joint statement Friday that the number of riders per team will decrease to eight, instead of the nine currently at their three-week races.
The decision comes into effect for the 2017 season. It will also see a reduction of riders at the other races they organise, with teams reduced to seven riders instead of eight.
Following a meeting of the international association of cycling race organisers, they said they want to improve safety by reducing traffic on roads "equipped with more and more street furniture" and make it more difficult for a team to dominate a race.
The organisers believe that reducing the number of riders will help open up the races so that they are less controlled.
Three-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome's Sky Team has been the dominant team in the peloton recently.
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