The Fuerteventura-Canary Islands and LPR teams may be able to make their debuts as Professional Continental teams this year. The UCI denied both teams a continental license in December, citing a 'failure to comply with the regulation deadlines'. But the teams claimed they had submitted all the necessary documents weeks before the deadline, and this week, a judge in Lausanne agreed.
The manager of the Fuerteventura-Canary Islands team, Jorge Sastre, was pleased with the decision, but refused to criticize the UCI. "It is not the moment for criticizing anybody, nor for looking back. Our team will never do it. Now it is the moment for looking ahead. For us it is a reason for immense happiness, because it is the news who we have hoped for during the past few month".
Sastre added: "We are going to make an effort to arrive at the Challenge Majorca with the group and all the means and the infrastructure necessary to give a great impression from the first day, so that the fans will fall in love with the Fuerteventura-Canary Islands".
The decision of the Swiss judge has also affected the LPR team, which released a statement saying that "The news has been received with satisfaction from the management of the team and the riders. The squad can now concentrate on its preparation for the season, and will make its debut at the GP Costa degli Etruschi."
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