Australian team to ride its first ever WorldTour event
Drapac Professional Cycling was one of 16 teams to have its Professional Continental registration confirmed by the International Cycling Union (UCI) yesterday, making it the only Australian team in the sport’s second division, and the only team to step up from Continental level. The team has registered with the Movement for Credible Cycling (MPCC), and has met its first target of the season with the securing of a wildcard invitation to the Santos Tour Down Under.
“It is fantastic to receive formal confirmation from the UCI that we will be granted a Professional Continental licence,” said team manager Jonathan Breekveldt. “This is only the beginning of the journey but it is the final step in enabling eligibility for a wildcard invitation to the Santos Tour Down Under.”
The team has expanded for 2014, with its mostly Australian line up strengthened by the addition of riders like Jonathan Cantwell from Saxo-Tinkoff, William Clarke from Argos-Shimano, and Travis Meyer from Orica-GreenEdge. With this improved roster, and the team’s rise to ProConti level, has come the desired invitation to the southern hemisphere’s only WorldTour event.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to compete in not only the biggest race on the Australian calendar but also the first, and our first, WorldTour event of the year,” said Brrekveldt.
Santos Tour Down Under Race Director Mike Turtur confirmed that the team will indeed be on the Adelaide start line on January 19th next year, and welcomed the chance to invite an Australian team to the 15-year-old event.
“A wildcard entry at the race has been discussed for many years and when Drapac made it clear to us they were aiming for Pro Continental status we decided that it was time for us to offer an invitation if that was achieved,” Turtur said.
“Drapac is a group of aspiring young cyclists who get a great opportunity to race against the best teams in the world on Australian soil, which in anyone’s book us just a fantastic opportunity,” he added.