How does a Pro Continental Team become a World Tour Team?

[brommers]

If a PC team gets consistently good results can they get 'promoted' or is it about financial commitment/clout?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

They need guaranteed income for a number of years first, that means commitment from their sponsors

 

[Flying_Monkey]

The points requirements have been tweaked since this report, but Inner Ring's summary is still a good one:

http://inrng.com/2012/11/uci-world-tour-licence/

 

[brommers]

Thank you both for your help

 

[smutchin]

I can't add anything to Inrng's assessment but what I find interesting is that for some teams, a WT place is not an attractive proposition - eg Europcar, as mentioned in the piece, and I suspect that hasn't changed even though the team has a new sponsor. You can't imagine Leicester City turning down a place in the Champions League next season even though it will undoubtedly stretch their squad. It just shows the difference in finances between football and cycling - even some of the biggest, most successful teams in cycling live a precarious existence (eg Highroad, Liquigas).

Qhubeka, on the other hand, have been promoted having actively chased WT status for a couple of years. Will be interesting to see how they fare in the long run.

Another interesting thing to note is that some teams have been able to buy their way straight to the top table (Sky, Astana) while others have had to fight to get there - even the very wealthy BMC spent a year at Pro Conti level before getting an invite.

Corollary question: who actually owns Team Sky? (As in, who holds the licence?) Someone asked me this the other day and I realised I don't actually know the answer. Is it British Cycling? Or Dave Brailsford? Or is it BSkyB?

 

[smutchin]

See also Euskaltel vs Caja Rural - I wonder if Euskaltel might have been able to survive if it had kept its ambitions more modest.

It's a shame not to see Caja Rural at some of the bigger races but good for them that they're not being tempted to overstretch themselves.

 

[SWSteve]

I can't add anything to Inrng's assessment but what I find interesting is that for some teams, a WT place is not an attractive proposition - eg Europcar, as mentioned in the piece, and I suspect that hasn't changed even though the team has a new sponsor. You can't imagine Leicester City turning down a place in the Champions League next season even though it will undoubtedly stretch their squad. It just shows the difference in finances between football and cycling - even some of the biggest, most successful teams in cycling live a precarious existence (eg Highroad, Liquigas).

Qhubeka, on the other hand, have been promoted having actively chased WT status for a couple of years. Will be interesting to see how they fare in the long run.

Another interesting thing to note is that some teams have been able to buy their way straight to the top table (Sky, Astana) while others have had to fight to get there - even the very wealthy BMC spent a year at Pro Conti level before getting an invite.

Corollary question: who actually owns Team Sky? (As in, who holds the licence?) Someone asked me this the other day and I realised I don't actually know the answer. Is it British Cycling? Or Dave Brailsford? Or is it BSkyB?

It's a holding company called something like 'Awesome Race Results Ltd'

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

See also Euskaltel vs Caja Rural - I wonder if Euskaltel might have been able to survive if it had kept its ambitions more modest.

It's a shame not to see Caja Rural at some of the bigger races but good for them that they're not being tempted to overstretch themselves.

I do like Caja Rural, never warmed to Euskatel

 

[smutchin]

It's a holding company called something like 'Awesome Race Results Ltd'

Tour Racing Ltd. Apparently, Sky UK (what used to be called BSkyB) owns 85% of the shares of TRL. I can't find any information as to who is on the board of directors of TRL.

Dave Brailsford was originally just a salaried member of Team Sky staff, to avoid a conflict of interest with his role in British Cycling. But does that remain the case now he is dedicated full time to Team Sky?

 

[SWSteve]

Tour Racing Limited. But looking on Companies House this must have been altered. That may be due to the issues that came to light last year with a shared parent of a betting company...

 

[SWSteve]

http://www.stickybottle.com/blogs/the-gambling-links-uci-and-team-sky-must-finally-confront/ For ref on gambling

 

[SWSteve]

Tour Racing Ltd. Apparently, Sky UK (what used to be called BSkyB) owns 85% of the shares of TRL. I can't find any information as to who is on the board of directors of TRL.

Dave Brailsford was originally just a salaried member of Team Sky staff, to avoid a conflict of interest with his role in British Cycling. But does that remain the case now he is dedicated full time to Team Sky?

That's odd, as highlighted in INRNG's annual piece on the finances of a team, of which Team Sky normally feature heavily due to some sections of their accounts being made public, they have very few staff, many are contracted on a Delf Empliyed basis, reducing tax/NI for TRL and also allowing the riders to have access to managing their own tax returns, maximising the money they receive