Lampre secures ProTour status for 2010

World cycling’s governing body, the UCI, has confirmed that Italy’s Lampre-Farnese Vini team has had its ProTour registration confirmed for 2010, bringing an end to months of uncertainty regarding the status of the squad, whose riders include Damiano Cunego and Alessandro Petacchi.

In a press communication released this morning, the UCI said: 
“On January 25th, the UCI announced that the Lampre-Farnese Vini team had been provisionally registered until 31st March 2010. Following an examination of the team’s file on this date, the Lampre-Farnese Vini team’s situation is judged to be in compliance with the regulations, and the Licenses Commission has deemed the matter closed.”

Last year, the team’s owner, Lampre/Bici Club Azzurro SRL, was told that its ProTour licence had been renewed for the period 2010 to 2013. But in November, the UCI announced that it had rejected the team’s registration for the 2010 season, and that a decision would be made on whether or not to withdraw the team’s ProTour licence.

Under UCI regulations, ProTour teams are required to undergo the registration process annually to ensure they comply with administrative and financial requirements, based on “sporting, ethical and financial criteria,” with auditing firm Ernst & Young performing independent analysis of their compliance.

It is not clear upon which of the issues covered by the registration process Lampre-Farnese Vini, which was earlier this week confirmed as one of the 16 teams automatically entered into this year’s Tour de France, had been found wanting.