In a bid to carve out their spaces in the elite echelons of professional cycling, 51 teams have submitted the requisite documentation to the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) for registration in 2024. This information, corroborated by external financial auditor PwC, was disclosed by the UCI as it assessed compliance with its regulations.
Within the realm of women’s cycling, the race for one of the 15 UCI Women’s WorldTour licences is fierce. Sixteen teams, including renowned names like AG Insurance – Soudal Quick-Step Team, Canyon // SRAM Racing, and FDJ – Suez, have entered the fray to secure their status as UCI Women’s WorldTeams for the 2024 season. One team will miss out and it should be Laboral Kutxa based on the sporting criteria. The team from the Basque Country has the fewest points accumulated over the last 2 seasons out of all the applicants. Also of note is that Israel Premier Tech Roland is listed as just Roland and Jumbo-Visma is listed as Blanco Pro Cycling. The latter is no doubt down to the sponsorship drama that eventually saw the men’s team confirmed as Visma-Lease a Bike recently.
The men’s peloton isn’t without its fair share of competition either. Eighteen men’s outfits are set to retain their UCI WorldTeam status for the second year in the three-year licence period. Simultaneously, an additional 17 teams have applied for UCI ProTeam registration, signifying their ambition to compete at a higher level. The likes of Bingoal WB, Burgos – BH, and Lotto DSTNY are in the ProTeam application process.
Notably, the UCI highlighted that teams yet to submit essential documents by the October 17 deadline can still rectify their status until the registration process concludes. For riders contracted to these teams, the UCI pointed out they could terminate their contracts early based on the standard contract provisions set out in UCI Regulations.
The official go-ahead for these licences lies solely in the hands of the Licence Commission, an independent body within the UCI. Decisions are slated to be made in early December after comprehensive evaluations based on five criteria: sporting, administrative, ethical, financial, and organisational. Consequently, the list of teams granted a UCI Women’s WorldTour licence for 2024 will only be made public upon completion of the registration process. The UCI plans to issue a press release on December 12, disclosing the Licence Commission’s decisions.
Laboral Kutxa, one of the women’s teams that have submitted their application, expressed their ambition vividly. Whether they secure a WorldTour status or not, the team aspires to continue as a global standard-bearer that represents equality of opportunities and enables young female cyclists to achieve their sporting dreams.
Women’s WorldTour applicants
- AG Insurance – Soudal Quick-Step Team
- Canyon // SRAM Racing
- Ceratizit – WNT Pro Cycling Team
- FDJ – Suez
- Fenix – Deceuninck
- Human Powered Health
- Laboral Kutxa – Fundacion Euskadi
- Lidl – Trek
- Team Jayco Alula
- Movistar Team
- Roland
- Team DSM – Firmenich
- Blanco Pro Cycling Team Women
- Team SD Worx
- UAE Team ADQ
- Uno-X Mobility
Men’s WorldTour applicants
- Ag2r Citroen Team
- Alpecin – Deceuninck
- Arkea-B&B Hotels
- Astana Qazaqstan Team
- Bahrain Victorious
- Blanco Pro Cycling Team
- Bora – Hansgrohe
- Cofidis
- EF Education – Easypost
- Groupama – FDJ
- Ineos Grenadiers
- Intermarché – Wanty
- Lidl – Trek
- Movistar Team
- Soudal Quick-Step
- Team DSM – Firmenich
- Team Jayco Alula
- UAE Team Emirates
Men’s ProTeam applicants
- Bingoal WB
- Burgos – BH
- Caja Rural-SegurosRGA
- Corratec
- Eolo-Kometa Cycling Team
- Equipo Kern Pharma
- Euskaltel – Euskadi
- Israel – Premier Tech
- Lotto Dstny
- Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
- TDT – Unibet
- Team Flanders – Baloise
- Team Novo Nordisk
- TotalEnergies
- Tudor Pro Cycling Team
- Uno-X Mobility
- VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè
