November 21/07 9:25 am - Twenty UCI Professional Continental Teams Apply for "Wild Card" Label

Posted by Editoress on 11/21/07
 

Twenty UCI Professional Continental Teams Apply for "Wild Card" Label
UCI Press Service

Twenty teams had requested the "wild card" label by 15 November, the deadline set for the receipt of applications. These teams are:

• Elk Haus-Simplon (AUT)
• Team Volksbank (AUT)
• Landbouwkrediet-Tonissteiner (BEL)
• Topsport Vlaanderen (BEL)
• PSK Whirlpool-Author (CZE)
• Andalucia-Cajasur (ESP)
• Karpin Galicia (ESP)
• Mitsubishi-Jartazi (EST)
• Agritubel (FRA)
• Barloworld (GBR)
• Ceramica Flaminia Bossini Docce (IRL)
• Group Navigare (IRL)
• Acqua Sapone-Caffe Mokambo (ITA)
• NGC Medical-OTC Industria Porte (ITA)
• Tinkoff Credit Systems (ITA)
• Skil-Shimano (NED)
• Benfica (POR)
• BMC Racing Team (USA)
• Slipstream Chipotle presented by H30 (USA)
• Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli (VEN)

The "wild card" label will give the recipient UCI professional continental teams the right to be invited to races on the UCI ProTour calendar. The License Commission will announce its decision on the candidate teams by the end of January. These teams will have already been registered as UCI professional continental teams.

Teams may only receive the "wild card" label if they meet strict quality criteria, in particular sporting criteria (results, selection), 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 (contribution to the funding of the project and returning whereabouts documentation for their riders).

The introduction of the "wild card" label meets a request by organisers, teams and riders, who expressed their desire, together with the UCI, for all participants in races on the UCI ProTour calendar to meet the same requirements, in particular with regards to ethics.