The world of cycling is still in shock over the impending merger between Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step. Now, the International Cycling Union (UCI) has also issued a statement on the entire matter for the first time in an official communication. If the merger goes through and the continuity of one of the two teams is not guaranteed, the maximum number of WorldTeams for the next two seasons will decrease from eighteen to seventeen.
The UCI emphasizes that the teams were granted a WorldTour license last year, valid from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2025. This decision is made by the UCI License Commission, an independent body of the international cycling union. According to the UCI, the license can be reviewed at any time. If the future of one of the two teams is not assured, the number of teams in this WorldTour cycle (which runs until December 31, 2023) will decrease from eighteen to seventeen.
UNO-X with a guaranteed presence in major competitions.
In this case, the top three ProTeams in the UCI Team Ranking will receive a guaranteed wildcard for all WorldTour competitions. There are now two more added to that list. In addition to Lotto Dstny and Israel-Premier Tech, Uno-X also has starting rights next year in the monuments, Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and Vuelta a España. Teams in the peloton also see these wildcards as the ‘cheapest licenses in the WorldTour’ because there is no penalty if a ProTeam skips a WorldTour race. WorldTeams have an initial obligation.
Here’s the official statement:
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) intends to issue a statement following the news circulating in the media about the possible merger between WorldTeams Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step.
It should be noted that both teams hold UCI WorldTour licenses, which were extended last year by the UCI Licensing Committee at the end of the registration procedure for a period of three years (2023-2025). However, this license can be reassessed at any time in accordance with UCI regulations.
If the continuity of one of these teams cannot be guaranteed for the 2024 cycling season, we will move to 17 (instead of 18) UCI WorldTeams for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. As a result of this change, the number of UCI ProTeams with automatic invitations to UCI WorldTour events will also increase, as stipulated in article 2.1.007bis of the UCI regulations.
The UCI would also like to clarify that to participate in UCI competitions, teams (UCI Women’s WorldTeams, UCI WorldTeams, and UCI ProTeams) must register every year as part of a procedure. The aim is to verify administrative, financial, and ethical criteria. For UCI Women’s WorldTeams and UCI WorldTeams, organizational criteria and possibly sporting criteria are also taken into account.
The UCI is assisted in this task by an external auditor, currently PwC, responsible for verifying financial and contractual elements. Decisions on the granting or renewal of UCI Women’s WorldTour and UCI WorldTour licenses are made by the UCI License Commission.
This procedure allows the UCI to ensure that teams comply with regulations, including those related to their continuity, compliance with personnel contracts (riders and support staff), and the plausibility of their funding over a season.
Any significant change in a team’s situation must be duly communicated during the next registration process so that it can be assessed in accordance with UCI regulations.
On October 19, the UCI will publish an initial press release containing the list of teams that have submitted essential information (cf. Art. 2.13.087; 2.15.069bis; 2.16.014bis of the UCI Regulations). This release will open the possibility for riders belonging to teams not included in the list to join another team, without prior notice or payment of compensation, in accordance with the provisions contained in the standard contract.
Following this release, the registration process will continue without communication on its progress until the issuance of the final release announcing the teams registered for the 2024 season (scheduled for December 12, 2023).
The complete list of teams will be published on the UCI website on December 19.