UCI president Pat McQuaid is ready to give in to demands by organizers of cycling's three three-week Tours who want out of the ProTour calendar of races.

McQuaid said that major changes could be made to the ProTour race series as early as next year.

The UCI introduced the ProTour calendar three years ago in a bid to promote a rich series of races with all the top teams and riders.

However a powerful coalition consisting of the organizers of the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España, has constantly opposed the ProTour, which has no system of relegation or promotion for teams and which has led to the disappearance of a number of smaller races.

Both parties had set a deadline of September 21 to find a solution to the dispute, and McQuaid said Wednesday the UCI had already sent a new set of proposals to the race organizers.

"We've sent proposals to the organizers of the grand tours before September 21," the Irishman told AFP. "We have agreed to meet their demands, which consist of no longer being part of the ProTour. We've been at loggerheads for the past three years and it can't go on."

McQuaid said the UCI is currently studying possible reforms to the ProTour series, with the world ruling body likely to insist on its objective of promoting the sport, through races, globally.

However the president of ASO (Amaury Sports Organization), the company which runs the Tour de France among many other notable races and sports events, said he was "worried" after having studied the UCI's new proposals.

"They are extremely worrying as regards the future of cycling," said ASO chief Patrice Clerc.