Italian team Lampre-Farnese Vini has finally been granted ProTour registration by the International Cycling Union (UCI) but only until the end of March. The team already holds a ProTour licence, which can be awarded on a multi-year basis, but the registration is granted annually and depends on a number of criteria being met.
In Lampre-Farnese Vini’s case the issue with the granting of registration has been with the team’s finances. UCI chief Pat McQuaid commented yesterday – as reported on VeloNation – that the team had until March 31st to sort out its finances and an official UCI statement now confirms this.
The UCI statement reads:
“The Licence Commission has accepted the proposal made by the International Cycling Union concerning the registration procedure of the Lampre-Farnese Vini team. This proposal was drawn up in the best interests of cycling and to assist the riders and personnel of the Italian team in particular.
“Consequently, the Lampre-Farnese Vini team has been granted provisional registration until 31 March 2010.
“If at this date the team’s situation is considered not to comply with the regulations, a renewed request for the withdrawal of the Lampre-Farnese Vini team’s licence will be submitted to the Licence Commission.”
Lampre-Farnese-Vini has been a member of cycling’s top-flight since 1999, and has been one of the biggest teams in Italy since merging with the Saeco team in 2005. The team is a long-time home to three-time Giro di Lombardia and 2004 Giro d’Italia winner Damiano Cunego, and recently signed super-sprinter Alessandro Petacchi.
As an Italian team Lampre-Farnese-Vini’s big targets for the year are the Giro d’Italia, the Giro di Lombardia as well as other big Italian races, and should be assured invitations to these regardless. However, the loss of ProTour status may cost the team its place in many other big races like the Tour de France.