Rasmussen's Christina Watches team gets UCI license

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The International Cycling Union approved a Continental license for Michael Rasmussen's new Christina Watches - Onfone team. Its official roster still is yet to include Italian Angelo Furlan, whose contract was signed earlier this month.

There are 14 riders, not including Furlan, on the squad, leaving one space open for an additional rider. German Jörg Jaksche has been rumoured to be in line to complete the team's roster.

The team, which will be run by Michael Blaudzun, bought out the license from the Bianchi M1 team and has been working with the UCI to finalize its license in order to begin the 2011 racing season.

''After our meeting with the DCU, where Claus Hembo and Tom Lund agreed only to look forward and forget the conflicts ... things moved fast," team owner Christina Hembo told feltet.dk. "I am happy that, in theory, the last obstacle for my cycling team now been removed and that we can begin our season as early as next week."

The team will be officially launched next week at the Istarsko proljece - Istrian Spring Trophy in Croatia.