Unibet's Hanegraaf hopes for Pro-Continental licence

By Susan Westemeyer

Team Unibet.com may be disappearing from the scene, but its organizing company Green Cycle Associates and manager Jacques Hanegraaf are doing their best to stay around, having informed the International Cycling Union (UCI) that they want to continue as a Professional Continental team.

The ProTour licences were already issued, but according to hln.be, the UCI will offer Green Cycle the possibility to meet the requirements and obtain a licence.

Unibet.com, the successor to the Belgian continental team Mr. Bookmaker, operated for two years. It became a ProTour team for the 2007 season, but ran into difficulties because of its sponsor, an online betting firm. The team also got caught in a conflict between the UCI and the Grand Tours, and missed most of the important races of the year.

Hanegraaf said that he already had a new sponsor lined up for the coming season, and he hoped to present his new sponsor and team soon.