BEIJING (AP) -The International Cycling Union says it has struck a deal with the operators of the Tour de France to settle a long-running dispute that has led to a string of court cases.

UCI president Pat McQuaid says there will be a new ranking system for riders, teams and nations starting in 2011, and that a system will determine which teams must be invited to compete in the Tour, the world's most prestigious cycle race, which will become a UCI event again. The UCI's ProTour competition will continue.

The discussions were held under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee and were mediated by IOC member Jean-Claude Killy.

No one from Amaury Group, the owner of Tour de France organizer ASO, was immediately available to comment Monday.