With the 2021 season preperations already in the works, starting with the renewals and the reveal of the routes of the three Grand Tour races, it's time to unveil the races which will have the PTHC label for the new season. Like the previous season the top PT division will duke it out with the PCT division in 6 separate bands with each consisting of 14 race days in total. To ensure a guaranteed number of teams in each race (24 teams to be precise), each team will race in 3 of the 6 bands, or 48 RD in total to be exact. Details on how to pick the PTHC bands will be in a separate thread later.
And so, without further ado here are the PCT races of 2021.
Band 1
Scandinavia Open Race
Sweden/Norway
3
Volta a Portugal
Portugal
9
Riga - Jurmala GP
Latvia
2
Band 1 contains not only has the least amount of races with 3, but is also the only band to have all races in one continent - Europe. We have the hilly Scandinavia Open which features the signature for the race hilly prolouge (great for punchuers with good TT skills). Volta a Portual, which is the longest race of all PTHC races with 9 stages, makes another appearance in the PTHC calendar though the TT stage was moved before the final stage unlike last year. In this band the two races will be joined by the 1-day sprint race in Latvia in the Riga - Jurmala GP
Band 2
Tour of Norway
Norway
5
Cheshire Cycling Tour
United Kingdom
5
Japan Cup
Japan
2
Tour of the Battenkill
United States
2
Band 2 consists of two 5-day races in the Tour of Norway, where climbing and TT skills are important for the win, and the Cheshire Cycling Tour - famous for its hilly cobbled terrain. They will be joined by two one-day races which will test the riders on hills - Japan Cup and the hilly cobbled classic Tour of the Battenkill
Band 3
SAA Tour d'Afrique
South Africa
4
Chrono d'Arenberg
France
2
Vuelta a Colombia
Colombia
6
Pro Hallstatt Classic
Austria
2
The SAA Tour d'Afrique makes another appearance in the calendar after being upgraded from HC last season. Chrono d'Arenberg - the grueling TT race, where cobble skills are paramount, also returns to offer a totally different challenge to the riders and they will race on the course twice. Vuelta a Colombia also makes its second straight appearance in PTHC and this time the three races will be joined in Band 3 by the Pro Hallstatt Classic - the mountainous classic around the Austrian Alps makes its 4th consecutive appearance in PTHC
Band 4
Balkans International
Balkan Region
8
Rheden GP
Netherlands
2
Tour of East Java
Indonesia
2
GP Wallonie
Belgium
2
The only race that takes a trip into more than two countries - the Balkans International, is again part of the PTHC calendar for a 4th year in a row and will again offer an opportunity for the best puncheurs in the peloton. Rheden GP - the cobbled circout classic, the 2-day sprinter + climber race in East Java and the hilly classic GP Wallonie complete this band
Band 5
Philadelphia International Championship
United States
2
Tour of Slovenie
Slovenia
5
Deutschland Tour
Germany
5
Franceville Classique
Gabon
2
Band 5 features one of the two new races in the calendar compared to last year - the Philadelphia International Championship. This sprinter's race was C2HC last season and it's elevation to PTHC will surely raise its profile to include the best sprinters. Tour of Slovenie returns with its prolouge and penultimate TT. Deutschland Tour will also return for another year and the peoloton will take another trip to Gabon for the cobbled Franceville Classique
Band 6
Tour du Maroc
Morocco
8
Paris Tours
France
2
Macskako Kerekparverseny
Hungary
2
Clasica San Sebastian
Spain
2
And last, but not least - Band 6. This band is headlined by the 8-stage race Tour du Maroc with stages favourable to both sprinters and climbers and without time trails this is the perfect race for riders who either suck or are mediocre in TT. Another familiar race returns in the sprinter classic Paris - Tours. Macskako Kerekparverseny - last season in C1, will be a PTHC race this year. Completing the band is the climbing classic in the Basque Country - the Clasica San Sebastian.
In addition to the sequence change noted by Ivan, Portugal is mostly a new route this year, only the MT stage is the same, Stages mostly come form Tamijo's 2018 Portugal route.
I have no clue where I'll go so far, but going to Colombia might be a must with my regional focus. Thanks for the work to everyone who is making this possible once again!
Really loving one band and liking some others. On the other hand some of the bands are really not suited for our team, so hopefully we'll get a place in those who suits us.
Scandinavia Open Race
Volta a Portugal
Riga - Jurmala GP
Cheshire Cycling Tour
Japan Cup
Tour of the Battenkill
SAA Tour d'Afrique
Chrono d'Arenberg
Vuelta a Colombia
Pro Hallstatt Classic
Balkans International
Rheden GP
Tour of East Java
GP Wallonie
Deutschland Tour
Franceville Classique
Tour du Maroc
Macskako Kerekparverseny
Clasica San Sebastian
