Rock gets license at the wire, Cinelli on ice

Rock Racing has something to celebrate (Image credit: Vero Image)

By Laura Weislo

The Rock Racing team has met all of its obligations for being licensed as a UCI Continental team for the 2009 season, USA Cycling said Saturday. The team was late in submitting the required bank guarantee, and was given a deadline of close of business Friday to make the deposit of 10% of the riders' salaries or it would not receive the license.

"It went down to the wire, but Rock Racing finally fulfilled all of its obligations for registering as a UCI Continental Team in 2009," USA Cycling's chief operating officer Sean Petty told Cyclingnews. "We will inform the UCI that Rock Racing will be a Continental Team in 2009. We have informed the UCI as well as the Argentinean Cycling Federation so they know the team is now eligible to compete in the Tour of San Luis in Argentina."

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Rock Racing wasn't the only team going down to the last minute on its UCI licensing. The new Cinelli squad led by Nico Mattan which is set to be the new romping ground of Belgian bad boy Frank Vandenbroucke, has yet to complete the procedure. Mattan told Het Nieuwsblad that he got the application in on Thursday. "The license is only a matter of days away."

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Laura Weislo is a Cyclingnews veteran of 20 years. Having joined in 2006, Laura extensively covered the Operacion Puerto doping scandal, the years-long conflict between the UCI and the Tour de France organisers ASO over the creation of the WorldTour, and the downfall of Lance Armstrong and his lifetime ban for doping. As Managing Editor, Laura coordinates coverage for North American events and global news.