UCI sets guidelines for registration and race invitations in women's WorldTour

Britain's Wiggle-High5 go into the 2016 season as the highest ranked women's team under the new ranking system for the women's WorldTour.

The team, known as Wiggle-Honda in past seasons, sits over 200 points clear of Rabo-Liv and Boels-Dolmans in the list of 40 teams eligible to ride WorldTour races this season.

Cycling's governing body, the UCI, has set out the guidelines for registration and race invitation for the WorldTour, with teams incentivised to reach the higher levels of the ranking with the guarantee of automatic invitations for the big races.

According to the new regulations, organisers of the races in the WorldTour, which replaces the World Cup this season, must invite the top 20 teams for one-day races and the top 15 teams for stage races.

Currently, Astana Women's Team sit in 15th place, the cut-off for stage racing, while Topsport Vlaaderen-Etixx sit in 20th.

The ranking system is based on the individual UCI points of the team's top four riders, as well as points gained at the World Championships team time trial.

While Wiggle-High5 sit on 3390.5 points, teams towards the middle of the ranking table sit below 500 points.