The International Cycling Union (UCI) has announced the names of four of the 18 “ProTeams”, who will make up next year’s top level of the sport. Alongside this it has announced 13 of the teams that will make up the second division, at “Professional Continental level.
All four of the ProTeams named already had a license for 2011, so their confirmation should have been little more than a formality. However, one of the names on the Professional Continental list shows that at least one of the six teams applying to renew its topflight license has been unsuccessful: FDJ, formerly known as Francaise des Jeux.
The four confirmed names are some of the biggest in the sport in Rabobank, Garmin-Cervélo, OmegaPharma-Lotto and Team Sky. The other six teams with existing licences, the other five applying to renew, plus the four new applications will have to wait until November 20th to find out if they have been successful. With FDJ out of the running, and assuming that all ten of the teams holding 2011 licenses are included, there are now nine teams chasing eight spots.
According to the UCI release the license commission has paid particular attention to the sporting criterion in deciding who to award the licenses to. This may have been where FDJ fell down as it sits in 21st place on the list, noticeably lower than many of its rivals for ProTeam status. The other two French applicants AG2R-La Mondiale – which holds a 2011 license – and Cofidis – which doesn’t – are also sitting in lowly 20th and 19th respectively; if neither if these makes the grade we could be in the almost unthinkable situation of no French teams in the top flight of cycling.
The list of “ProConti” teams not only shows the relegation of the FDJ team, but also that the applications of Caja Rural and UnitedHealthcare to make the step up from third division Continental status.
UCI ProTeams
Rabobank Cycling Team (Ned)
Garmin-Cervélo (USA)
OmegaPharma-Lotto (Bel)
Sky ProCycling (GBr)
UCI Professional Continental Teams
Androni Giocattoli (Ita)
Bretagne-Schuller (Fra)
Caja Rural (Spa)
Colnago-CSF Inox (Irl)
Europcar (Fra)
Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli (Gbr)
FDJ (Fra)
Landbouwkrediet (Bel)
Saur-Sojasun (Fra)
Skil-Shimano (Ned)
Team Type 1 (USA)
Topsport Vlaanderen-Merctor (Bel)
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling (USA)