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Friday, December 18, 2009 UCI announces list of Wild Card teams by Conal Andrews at 8:20 AM EST   comments Categories: Pro Cycling   The UCI has announced that 20 teams have applied for Wild Card status for the coming season, with these squads seeking the right to be invited to races on the ProTour calendar. The teams concerned are the following: Acqua & Sapone (ITA) Andalucia Cajasur (ESP) Androni Giocattoli (VEN) Bbox Bouygues Telecom (FRA) BMC Racing Team (USA) Carmiooro - NGC (GBR) Ceramica Flaminia (IRL) Cervélo Test Team (SUI) Cofidis, le crédit en ligne (FRA) Colnago - CSF Inox (IRL) De Rosa - Stac Plastic (IRL) ISD - Neri (ITA) Landbouwkrediet (BEL) Rock Racing (USA) Saur - Sojasun (FRA) Skil - Shimano (NED) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator (BEL) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team (NED) Voralberg - Corratec (AUT) Xacobeo Galicia Team (ESP) Seventeen of these have Professional Continental licences for 2010, while three - Androni Giocattoli, Rock Racing and Xacobeo Galicia - recently had their licence applications refused. They are awaiting an appeal to the UCI and their consideration for the Wild Card status will depend on the outcome of this. Today’s UCI release outlined the requirements for this status: “Teams will only be granted Wild Card status if they meet strict quality criteria, in particular sporting criteria (results, squad members), legal criteria (respect of regulations), financial criteria (rigorous management, accountability) as well as ethical considerations (in particular management and anti-doping activities). Wild Card teams are obliged to commit to the fight against doping led by the UCI, in particular by participating in the implementation of biological passports (contributing to the funding of the project and providing whereabouts documentation for their riders).” The Wild Card system was introduced after organisers, teams and riders indicated to the UCI that they wanted to ensure that every team taking part in major events was subject to the same scrutiny. One concern was that riders on teams outside the biological passport would not face the same number of anti-doping controls.       comments Follow @Pro_Cycling Tweet Subscribe via RSS or daily email Contact the editor about this article