Following today’s news that the Garmin-Cervélo team was not amongst the teams which met the October 1st deadline in relation to ProTeam licences, the squad has said that there are no reasons for concern.
The American outfit was awarded a ProTour licence in October 2008 for a four year term, but was absent from a ten-team list released today by the UCI of those squads which had applied for annual registration.
“We have a current and valid 2012 World Tour license and are registering the team for the 2012 season,” said team spokeswoman Marya Pongrace in a statement sent to VeloNation. “However, in that registration process we encountered some technical issues regarding the 2012 team name.
“Those technical issues have been resolved and the process is being completed.”
The team name issues could potentially relate to a second sponsor. The team was called Garmin-Cervélo this season but general manager Jonathan Vaughters had previously stated that the bike company would change to equipment sponsor in 2012 and would therefore not be part of the team name.
He said that he was searching for a secondary sponsor; it is not yet known if one has been secured, but the situation should become more clear in the near future.
Movistar was also absent from today’s list. The team's press officer David Garcia said that there was no reason for concern. “The problem with the team's application has been just a matter of deadlines,” he told VeloNation. “We expect to present all documents needed to be a ProTeam in the upcoming hours."
According to UCI regulations, teams are required to submit their budget for the year, the contracts with the team’s sponsors, a bank guarantee, at least ten contracts with riders for the following season and, in the case of new teams, a description of the team’s structure.
October 1st is listed as the provisional deadline but is not binding. Teams such as Astana have in the past missed this first date but were able to later finalise the required documentation and secure a ProTeam licence.
However according to UCI regulation 2.15.067, a penalty applies. “In the event of delay there will be an automatic increase in the registration fee of CHF 1,000 per day,” it states. “Further, the examination of the registration application will not begin unless all the conditions are completed. The risk that this examination may not be completed in good time is the responsibility of the UCI ProTeam or, where applicable, of the licence applicant.”
Providing the management behind Garmin-Cervélo, Movistar and Geox TMC finalise the paperwork soon, there is likely to be no lasting repercussions for not meeting the October 1st date.