The International Cycling Union (UCI) has confirmed the names of the first batch of teams to have been granted ProTeam - first division - registration in 2014, with just nine teams listed so far. AG2R La Mondiale, Belkin Pro Cycling, BMC Racing Team, Cannondale, FDJ.fr, Garmin-Sharp, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, Katusha and Saxo Bank have all been given the nod at this point, while others will have to wait a little longer to know their fate.
Of the other ten ProTeams from 2014, Euskaltel-Euskadi and Vacansoleil-DCM are both folding. With just Europcar applying to step up from the Professional Continental division below, the UCI is spared the dilemma of last year when it had to select 18 teams from 19 applicants.
Last year the eleventh hour decision of the UCI to deny Katusha - reportedly on ethical grounds - was later overturned by the Court for Arbitration in Sport (CAS), which meant that there were 19 teams in the top division in 2013. This caused problems for several race organisers that had already issued wild card invitations.
It should be noted that Katusha has been granted ProTeam registration without problem this time around.
The nine teams to have been granted ProTeam registration so far are among those that hold a valid licence for 2014. The others, who are seeking renewal - Astana Pro Team, Lampre-Merida, Movistar Team, Orica GreenEDGE, and Team Sky - as well as Europcar, must all appear before the Licensing Commission before theirs is granted.
Since Trek Factory Racing is taking over the licence of RadioShack-Leopard, the team must appear before the Licence Commission by virtue of article 2.15.043, which states: “The holder may transfer its licence to a third party accepted by the licence commission. To this end the third party must follow the licence application procedure, including the payment of the application fee.”
Lotto Belisol, Team Argos-Shimano have both been called before the Licensing Commission “on the grounds of certain irregularities which were still present in their respective file at the time of the drawing up of the UCI assessment.”
Along with the initial ProTeam registration, the UCI has also confirmed the names of 16 Professional Continental - second division teams - for 2014, which is four fewer than in 2013.
As well as Europcar, which is applying for a WorldTour licence, missing from the 2013 list are Champion System, Crelan-Euphony and Sojasun, who are all folding at the end of this year. Bretagne Séché Environnement has been called before the Licence Commission for the same reason as Lotto-Belisol and Argos-Shimano, so the total number of ProConti teams will likely rise to 17.
Accent.jobs-Wanty becomes Wanty-Groupe Gobert, while Vini Fantni-Selle Italia is listed as “Yellow Flou” - which is the nickname the team goes by thanks to its highly visible race kit - while it still finalises its name sponsor for 2014.
The one new name on the list is that of Drapac Professional Cycling, as the long-running Australian team seeks to expand and take on the biggest races in the World.
The decisions on the awarding of the rest of the registrations will be announced after November 25th, and the UCI Licence Commission will communicate its final decisions on December 10th.
UCI ProTeams confirmed at November 5th
AG2R La Mondiale (Fra)
Belkin Pro Cycling (Ned)
BMC Racing Team (USA)
Cannondale (Ita)
FDJ.fr (Fra)
Garmin-Sharp (USA)
Omega Pharma-Quick Step (Bel)
Team Katusha (Rus)
Team Saxo Bank (Den)
UCI Professional Continental teams confirmed at November 5th
Androni Giocattoli (Ita)
Bardiani-CSF (Ita)
Caja Rural-Seguros RGA (Spa)
CCC Polsat-Polkowice (Pol)
Cofidis, solutions crédits (Fra)
Colombia (Col)
Drapac Professional Cycling (Aus)
IAM Cycling (Swi)
MTN-Qhubeka (RSA)
RusVelo (Rus)
Team NetApp-Endura (Ger)
Team Novo Nordisk (USA)
Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise (Bel)
UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team (USA)
Wanty-Groupe Gobert (Bel)
Yellow Flou (Ita)