The backbone of the British domestic peloton for 2014 has been unveiled after the first four teams to be awarded the new British Cycling Elite National Team status were unveiled today.
Joining Britain’s five UCI Continental teams – Rapha Condor-JLT, Team Raleigh, Madison-Genesis, Velosure-Giordana and new outfit NFTO – each team is guaranteed four places in each of the British Cycling Elite Road Series events this year.
And the first four teams to be awarded the new status are Starley Primal Pro Cycling, Catford CC Equipe/Banks, HARIBO-Beacon and Wheelbase Altura MGD.
The new categories were introduced by British Cycling in November 2013 to allow the professional clubs below UCI Continental level access to the biggest domestic races.
British Cycling’s cycle sport and membership director Jonny Clay believes this season, which also features a revamped racing calendar, will be one to remember.
“The year looks set to be an exciting season for the sport in the UK,” he said. “Our strength in depth is reflected in the number of events in our national series, the number of teams and the calibre of the riders making up those squads.
“Outside the UCI continental classification, the difference between a sponsored club and a professional team has been something of a grey area for a number of years.
“We wanted to provide teams who are committed to supporting the sport with a guarantee that they’ll have access to the best races in the country.
“At the same time, riders and organisers need to know that they’re going to be supported to an appropriate level for the whole domestic season. Elite National Team classification helps to do this and gives teams who might aspire to become UCI teams in the future a space in which to grow.”
British Cycling is currently reviewing a number of further applications for Elite National Team status, with any additional teams to be confirmed in advance of the first round of the Elite Road Series, which is set to get underway in April.
For more information on the series, visit http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/eliteroadseries
