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Tuesday, December 13, 2022
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2022 Tour de France | 2022 Giro d'Italia
Pray thee, spare, thyself at times: for it becomes a wise man sometimes to relax the high pressure of his attention to work. - Thomas Aquinas
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Upcoming racing
- Dec 26: Gavere Cyclocross
- Dec 27: Heusden-Zolder Cyclocross
- Dec 29: Diegem Cyclocross
- Dec 30: Azencross-Loenhout
- Jan 1: GP Sven Nys Cyclocross
- Jan 14 - 22: Schwalbe Classic & Tour Down Under
- Jan 22 - 29: Vuelta a San Juan
- Jan 25 - 29: Challenge Illes Balears-Volta Ciclista a Mallorca
- Jan 28 & 29: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
Latest completed racing:
- Dec 10: Exact Cross Essen
- Dec 4: Scheldecross Antwerp
- Nov 20: Vlaamse Druivenveldrit Overijse Cross
- Nov 5 & 6: European Cyclocross Championships
- Nov 1: Trofee Oudenaarde-Koppenbergcross
- Oct 29: Superprestige Ruddervoorde Cyclocross
- Oct 11 - 18: Tour de Langkawi
Here is the UCI’s news release:
Following the registration procedure for UCI professional teams (UCI Women’s WorldTeams, UCI WorldTeams and UCI ProTeams), the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) today makes public the names of teams that are registered for the 2023 season.
The 2023 season will mark the final year of the first licensing cycle for UCI Women's WorldTeams (2020-2023). This cycle began in 2020 with the creation of this category and provided for the progressive allocation of 15 licences between 2020 and 2023.
In 2022, 14 teams had a UCI Women’s WorldTour licence, and a last licence was available for 2023.
At the end of the 2023 season, the 15 licences will be available and awarded for the following period, which will cover the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
From the 2026 season onwards, the 15 UCI Women's WorldTour licences will be allocated for a period of three years, in line with the duration of the UCI WorldTour licences.
UCI Women’s WorldTeams (women’s 1st division)
The UCI has registered (art 2.13.095 of the UCI Regulations) the 13 UCI Women’s WorldTeams (1) listed below - already holders of a UCI Women’s WorldTour licence and whose files are judged by the UCI to be in order - for the 2023 season:
- CANYON//SRAM RACING (CSR – GER)
- EF EDUCATION - TIBCO - SVB (TIB – USA)
- FDJ-SUEZ (FST – FRA)
- GREENEDGE CYCLING (BEX – AUS)
- HUMAN POWERED HEALTH (HPW – USA)
- LIV RACING TEQFIND (LIV – NED)
- MOVISTAR TEAM WOMEN (MOV – ESP)
- TEAM DSM (DSM – NED)
- TEAM JUMBO VISMA (JVW – NED)
- TEAM SD WORX (SDW – NED)
- TREK – SEGAFREDO (TFS – USA)
- UAE TEAM (UAD – UAE)
- UNO-X PRO CYCLING TEAM (UXT – NOR).
In addition, after hearing teams that had not been able to be registered directly by the UCI, the Licence Commission has decided to register the following UCI Women’s WorldTeam – already holder of a UCI Women’s WorldTour licence – for the upcoming season:
ISRAEL PREMIER TECH ROLAND (CGS – SUI).
Moreover, in accordance with the UCI Regulations (art. 2.13.026 ff), and after a complete review of the files received regarding all the criteria for attribution (ethical, financial, administrative, organisational and sporting), the UCI Licence Commission has decided to award a UCI Women's WorldTour licence for a period of one year, i.e., until the end of the 2023 season, to:
FENIX-DECEUNINCK (FED – BEL).
As the number of candidate teams was greater than the number of licences available for the first time since the creation of the division, the teams were evaluated on the basis of the sporting criterion, in accordance with article 2.13.035 of the UCI Regulations. As such, the applications from the following teams could not be accepted. These teams will therefore be registered as UCI Women's Continental Teams in 2023, subject to the agreement of the National Federations concerned, in accordance with article 2.13.057 of the UCI Regulations:
AG INSURANCE – NXTG (AGI – BEL)
CERATIZIT – WNT PRO CYCLING TEAM (WNT – GER).
The UCI is delighted by the large number of teams applying for UCI Women's WorldTeam status this year, which demonstrates the appeal of women's cycling.
UCI WorldTeams (men’s 1st division)
Concerning the allocation of UCI WorldTeam licences for the 2023-2025 period, following a full review of the documentation received regarding different criteria for attribution (ethical, financial, administrative, organisational and sporting), and in accordance with the UCI Regulations (art. 2.15.011), the UCI Licence Commission has decided to register these 18 licences, subject to compliance with the provisions relating to annual registration during the period, to the following teams:
- AG2R CITROEN TEAM (ACT – FRA)
- ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK (ADC – BEL)
- ASTANA QAZAQSTAN TEAM (AST – KAZ)
- BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS (TBV – BRN)
- BORA – HANSGROHE (BOH – GER)
- COFIDIS (COF – FRA)
- EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST (EFE – USA)
- GREENEDGE CYCLING (BEX – AUS)
- GROUPAMA – FDJ (GFC – FRA)
- INEOS GRENADIERS (IGD – GBR)
- INTERMARCHÉ – CIRCUS - WANTY (ICW – BEL)
- JUMBO-VISMA (TJV – NED)
- MOVISTAR TEAM (MOV – ESP)
- SOUDAL QUICK-STEP (SOQ – BEL)
- TEAM ARKEA – SAMSIC (ARK – FRA)
- TEAM DSM (DSM – NED) – the Licence Commission has made the second and third years of the licence conditional on the provision, during the season, of additional documents related to the financial criterion
- TREK – SEGAFREDO (TFS – USA)
- UAE TEAM EMIRATES (UAD – UAE).
In addition, as the number of teams applying for a UCI WorldTour licence was greater than the number of licences available, the teams were evaluated on the basis of the sporting criterion, in accordance with article 2.15.011 of the UCI Regulations.
As the applications of the following teams did not meet the sporting criterion, they will be registered as UCI ProTeams in 2023, subject to their prior agreement, in accordance with the provisions of article 2.15.026bis of the UCI Regulations:
ISRAEL PREMIER TECH (IPT – ISR)
LOTTO DSTNY (LTD – BEL)
UNO-X PRO CYCLING TEAM (UXT – NOR).
UCI ProTeams (men’s 2nd division)
In accordance with the UCI Regulations and following a full review of the different criteria for attribution (ethical, financial and administrative), the UCI has decided to register (art. 2.16.016 of the UCI Regulations) the following 15 UCI ProTeams, for the 2023 season:
- BINGOAL WB (BWB – BEL)
- BOLTON EQUITIES BLACK SPOKE (BEB – NZL) – new UCI ProTeam
- BURGOS-BH (BBH – ESP)
- CAJA RURAL-SEGUROSRGA (CJR – ESP)
- EOLO-KOMETA CYCLING TEAM (EOK – ITA)
- EQUIPO KERN PHARMA (EKP – ESP)
- EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI (EUS – ESP)
- GREEN PROJECT-BARDIANICSF-FAIZANE’ (GBF – ITA)
- HUMAN POWERED HEALTH (HPM – USA)
- Q36.5 PRO CYCLING TEAM (Q36 – SUI) - new UCI ProTeam
- TEAM CORRATEC (COR – ITA) – new UCI ProTeam
- TEAM FLANDERS – BALOISE (TFB – BEL)
- TEAM NOVO NORDISK (TNN – USA)
- TOTALENERGIES (TEN – FRA)
- TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM (TUD – SUI) – new UCI ProTeam.
Moreover, after hearing the team that had not been able to be registered directly by the UCI, the Licence Commission has decided to refuse the registration of:
PARIS CYCLING CITY (PCC – FRA).
The registration procedure for UCI Women’s WorldTeams, UCI WorldTeams and UCI ProTeams for the next season has now been completed. In total, 15 UCI Women’s WorldTeams, 18 UCI WorldTeams and 18 UCI ProTeams are registered for the 2023 season.
The UCI thanks all implicated stakeholders and wishes the registered teams an excellent 2023 season.
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Following the UCI announcement above, the team sent me this:
The Union Cycliste Internationale, UCI, has announced this Monday that Belgian professional cycling team Lotto Dstny will compete as a ProTour team next season. Sports manager Kurt Van de Wouwer and Chief Business Officer Yana Seel comment on the granting of the licenses by the UCI.
Changes are coming to the Lotto Soudal team.
Sports manager Kurt Van de Wouwer: “We have of course been preparing for the 2023 season for a while now. With Dstny coming on board as the new co-title sponsor of the team, 2023 marks a new start in any case. We used that momentum to challenge ourselves in all areas. In 2023 we will invest even more in our performance department and Development Team. Thanks to the good results in the 2022 season, we have the certainty that we will again be present in all major races in 2023: the Tour de France, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and all other races on the highest level in which our riders want to show themselves. Our 26-riders roster consists of a good mix of young talent and riders who have proven themselves for years at the highest level. I have all the confidence that they will fight for victory on all fronts on behalf of Lotto Dstny next season.”
Chief Business Officer Yana Seel: “Together with our main sponsors, the National Lottery and Dstny, we have worked hard in recent months. The step to the ProTour presented us with a budgetary challenge, but we can handle it. The commitment and support of our main sponsors illustrate how appealing our team will be commercially in 2023 as well. Just last week we were able to announce the arrival of Efficy as one of our new partners. With the ProTour logo on our shirt, we still offer our partners visibility on the highest international podium of cycling.”
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The team sent me this update:
As of January 1, 2023, Eva van Agt (25) will join Team Jumbo-Visma Women. The former hockey star made her debut in the professional peloton this spring and rode grand tours for Le Col-Wahoo, including Le Tour de France Femmes.
Eva van Agt
The 25-year-old Van Agt played hockey at the highest level in the Netherlands for several years but slowly developed a love for the bicycle. "I got my first road bike when I was fifteen and immediately liked it. At that time, however, I only rode some recreational kilometres", Van Agt says.
At eighteen, she left Nijmegen and spent four years in the USA. "I went to the United States on a sports scholarship to play hockey and pursue my bachelor's degree. To maintain my condition, I began cycling there more and more. After my studies, I traveled through America for six months and rode beautiful bike rides every day."
Due to the corona epidemic, the Dutch hockey competition was postponed. Since then, a lot has changed in Van Agt's life. "I needed a new challenge. I started a master's degree in Maastricht and joined a student cycling association. I secretly dreamed of becoming a professional cyclist, but I thought that was impossible. I discovered that I quickly grew stronger and that I had a great urge to race. My first was last February", the rider says.
A few months later, Van Agt signed her first professional contract with Le Col-Wahoo. Last summer, she participated in the Tour de France Femmes. She will represent Team Jumbo-Visma Women in the peloton in the upcoming year. "I am very grateful for the opportunity I get on this team. I am convinced the coaching staff and the other riders will teach me much. I want to keep growing tactically in the coming period."
Rutger Tijssen, the team's sports technical manager, has confidence in Van Agt's development. "Because of her appealing racing style this year, Eva stood out in the peloton", he explains. "She is present, likes to attack and doesn't fear anyone. At Team Jumbo-Visma, she can take steps forward in a strong group. Her athletic tests were also positive, so we are thrilled with Eva's arrival."
"I hope to play an important role in the hill classics finals", Van Agt says. "A big priority on my wish list is to ride well in Liège-Bastogne-Liège or the Amstel Gold Race. I always train on those roads, so it would be amazing to show myself there. Furthermore, I have gained experience in a few stage races in the past year, which also suits me."
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Bicycle Retailer & Industry News posted this:
Rad Power Bikes had another round of layoffs following two previous cuts this year. The direct-to-consumer brand did not say how many employees were let go. In July, Rad Power laid off 63 employees; in April it let go 100.
"We are focused on supporting our team through this, so we won't be providing additional details at this time," a Rad Power spokesperson told BRAIN on Friday afternoon.
A growing number of cycling and tech companies have experienced workforce reductions this year.
"Over the last few months, we've been focused on right-sizing our operating costs to become a self-sustaining business," the Rad Power spokesperson said. "The economic downturn, inflationary pressures, and softening consumer spending require us to further reduce costs, which unfortunately includes decreasing the size of our team. We have a clear and actionable path toward financial stability and will continue to prioritize initiatives that allow more people to experience the unexpected joy of e-bikes and to change their ride for good."
Last month, CEO Mike Radenbaugh stepped down as CEO and transitioned to chairman of the board to focus on e-bike advocacy and innovation. Phil Molyneux, who joined the brand nine months ago as president, succeeded Radenbaugh to lead day-to-day operations.
Rad Power Bikes has been one of the fastest-growing e-bike brands in the U.S. In October 2021, after it announced the latest $154 million financing round that brought the total of investments to $329 million since its inception, the company claimed it was the world's best-funded e-bike brand in the direct-to-consumer market.
You can read the entire story here.
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