Fashion designer Micheal Ball’s Rock Racing team has been refused a Continental license from the UCI and will now be forced to ride in the amateur ranks. Earlier this year Rock Racing’s appeal for Pro Continental team status was rejected, prompting the team to apply for Continental status.
The Continental license application was done in Mexico, which meant by UCI rules that the majority of the riders must be from the country where the team is registered. There also would have been restrictions that included a minimum of eight riders and a maximum of sixteen. Even if their Mexican Continental license had been approved, with the rules being enforced the team would still have left several riders out in the cold.
According to wielerupdate.nl, it’s rumored that Floyd Landis’ expected involvement with the team in 2010 may have been a factor in the UCI’s decision. Ball said he will try again next year.