Dutch team meets UCI’s ethical, financial and administrative requirements as well as sporting criteria
Rabobank has had its 2012 World Tour license confirmed by the International Cycling Union (UCI), the Dutch team has announced. The orange and blue squad was one of the top fifteen teams in a list released by the UCI last week, that best met its sporting criterion based on rider performances in the last two seasons.
The fifteen teams would be assured of being awarded WorldTour license, providing they could meet the UCI’s other three ethical, financial and administrative criteria.
“The Rabobank Cycling Team in 2012 has a world tour license,” a statement from the Rabobank team reads. “The International Cycling Federation UCI management [notified the team on] Tuesday in writing that the information meets all the criteria.”
Rabobank has held a ProTeam – or ProTour – license since the UCI introduced the series in 2005, and has been in the top division of the sport since its creation as Kwantum in 1984. WorldTour victories in 2011 included stages in the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, as well as in the Tour de Suisse, Critérium du Dauphiné, Tirreno-Adriatico and the Tour Down Under.
In 2012 the Dutch bank will add a UCI women’s team to its ProTeam, under-23 Continental, and off road teams.