Welcome to the homepage for the 2025 UCI Women's Continental Teams. Here you will find all of the information we have on the logistics of forming, registering, and maintaining a UCI Continental Team. In case you have navigated here by accident, this information is specific to what the UCI has defined as a UCI Continental Team. If you are looking for more information on USA Cycling Domestic Elite Teams, please use the link.
One of the benefits of being on a UCI Continental team is that you have a dedicated USA Cycling staff contact. If you need assistance with any aspect of your team process, please email Bonnie Walker or call 719-725-0399.
The information contained below is not comprehensive, but rather a means to assist you with the registration of your Continental Team. Review the current UCI registration guide for more specific information. To comply with the UCI established deadlines, please pay attention to the key dates listed below and set by USA Cycling for submission of your team registration information. NO EXCEPTIONS will be made if these dates are not adhered to.
Key Dates (Deadlines vary from those of the UCI due to time needed for review.)
Deadline
Item
Action By
Submit To
9/27/2024
Intent to register as a UCI team
Teams
USA Cycling
Early October
Teams receive DataRide platform credentials
UCI
Teams
10/22/2024
Auditors receive team registration packet DEADLINE
Teams
Waugh & Goodwin LLP
10/31/2024
Complete registration on DataRide platform
Teams
USA Cycling (DataRide)
10/31/2024
Payment of UCI registration fee (wired)
Teams
UCI
10/31/2024
Payment of USA Cycling Registration and Race Clean fees
Emailed directly from USA Cycling (online invoice)
Varies by Team
Bank Guarantee Funds
11/08/2024
Teams mail check or ACH deposit directly to USA Cycling (additional instructions will be emailed to each team once amount is determine by auditors.)
Registration and Audit Process
The following are the proper steps for registering a UCI Women's Continental team:
1.
Familiarize yourself with the UCI regulations regarding Continental Teams. Your existence as a team is based on these rules, which can be found in their entirety on the UCI Regulations website. The most relevant chapters are Part I: General Organization of Cycling as a Sport, Part II: Road Races, Part XII: Discipline and Procedures, and Part XIV: Anti-Doping Rules.
2.
Compile the following for mailing to Waugh & Goodwin, LLP by certified mail for arrival no later than October 22. Waugh & Goodwin, LLP is the auditor working on behalf of USA Cycling.
The Declaration of Recognition of Ethical Principles (UCI annex A-3.1 ) signed by all riders and team staff.
Waugh & Goodwinn, LLP will send an invoice for $975 to cover their services, which is due upon receipt and prior to beginning the audit.
Copies of all signed sponsor contracts over $5,000.
A complete team operating budget (UCI annex C-1). For your convenience, the UCI has provided a set of instructions for developing a budget (UCI annex C-2).
A completed Bank Guarantee form (UCI annex C-3) based on operating budget (C-1).
Waugh & Goodwin will review the registration documents submitted. Once approved, they will send an auditor's report to USA Cycling and notify the team representative. They will also provide a total amount of the team’s bank guarantee.
USA Cycling will notify the team representative of the amount, if any, is due for the bank guarantee based on holding an existing account.
If the bank guarantee is in order when the auditor's report arrives, USA Cycling will notify the UCI of the team’s successful completion of the registration process and will submit all registration paperwork to the UCI.
3.
Complete registration information on DataRide platform no later than October 31.
4.
Email the following electronic documents to Bonnie Walker at USA Cycling no later than October 31:
Completed Check-List for Registration (UCI annex B).
5.
Wire the UCI registration and ITA fees directly to the UCI’s bank account no later than October 31.
Please indicate the team’s name on the payment so the UCI can properly credit your team.
Bank
UBS Deutschland AG
Address
Bockenheimer Landstr. 2-4 60306 Frankfurt am Main Germany
IBAN
DE27 5022 0085 1020 400012
BIC
SMHBDEFFXXX
Beneficiary
Union Cycliste Internationale CH - 1860 Aigle
Note: The wire transfer to the UCI is due 10-days before final team registration is due to the UCI. Please plan accordingly.
Upon completion of the bank wire transfer to the UCI, please email the confirmation information from the transfer to Bonnie Walker at USA Cycling. This will greatly help us in confirming receipt by the UCI and will ease the registration process.
6.
All UCI Continental Teams are required to pay fees directly to USA Cycling to cover the cost of registration and Race Clean fees. USA Cycling will invoice each team for the total amount due and it must be paid no later than October 31. Teams have the option to pay with an ACH deposit or wire transfer if an easier option.
7.
Waugh & Goodwin, LLP will provide teams with the bank guarantee amount due, at which time USA Cycling will reach out to the team to confirm the amount and who the check should be made payable to which will be the name of the entity responsible for your bank guarantee (team name or paying agent). New teams are required to send a cashier's check. The check should arrive no later than November 8 to the following address:
USA Cycling, Inc.
ATTN: Bonnie Walker
210 USA Cycling Pt, Suite 100
Colorado Springs, CO 80919
8.
The registration process is complete when the UCI publishes your team on the UCI website in early January.
First-Year Teams
Any person, company, foundation, association, or other entity that becomes the team representative or principal partner of a UCI Continental Team for the first time shall submit the following information by email to Bonnie Walker at USA Cycling no later than October 31.
For individuals: proof of residence.
For incorporated bodies and other organizations:
Constitution or articles of association.
Proof of an entry on the business register or the register of companies or associations, or any other official document demonstrating the legal existence of the organization.
List of officers or directors with their full names, occupations, and addresses.
Annual accounts (balance sheet and profit and loss account for the last financial year in the current legal form).
Team Composition and General Principles
The USA Cycling can register a maximum of 15 US Continental Teams with the UCI.
A UCI Continental Team is made up of a minimum of 8 riders and a maximum of 16 riders, in the elite and/or U23 categories. To register your team with USA Cycling, the majority number of your riders must have a nationality of USA. Please choose your riders accordingly.
In addition to the 16-rider maximum, a team may have a maximum of four extra riders who are specialists in other endurance disciplines, such as track (scratch, points race, pursuit), mountain bike (cross-country), or cyclo-cross, provided that these riders were in the top 150 of the last final UCI Individual classification for that discipline.
Please note, trainee and specialist riders are not considered for the calculation of the minimum number of riders in a team or for the determination of its nationality.
Between the period of August 1 and December 31, the team may add two riders in the U23 category or second year junior category as "trainees".
Team Participation
Per the UCI regulations, a rider registered on UCI Continental Team can participate in two kinds of races: UCI races anywhere in the world or national races in the United States. Riders on UCI Continental Teams do not need Foreign Permission Letters to ride abroad.
Riders may only enter a UCI race as 1) a regular member of their Continental Team or 2) a member of a USA Cycling National Team when the national team is participating. Riding for the USA Cycling national team is only allowed if your Continental Team is not competing in the race. Foreign riders on your team would be subject to the same rule. For example, if you have a Canadian rider on your team, they may ride an international race as part of the Canadian National Team, but only if their Continental Team is not participating.
Participation in UCI events are by invitation only and the UCI has specific regulations regarding invitations. Being a UCI Continental Team does not guarantee an automatic invitation. A UCI race organizer must meet UCI regulations when extending invitations to their events, and since these regulations include a minimum number of non-American teams, there may not be enough space in certain races for each American team. Teams must contact the race organizer to secure an invitation.
Rider Contracts
Each rider on a Continental Team must have a contract for a fixed period that expires on December 31. The contracts must meet the minimum standards given in the model contracts for Remunerated (professional) riders and Non-Professional riders. This contract must explicitly spell out wages and/or repayment of expenses (See note below). If a rider is entitled to salary per the contract, the only payment method allowed is direct deposit into the rider's bank account, the specifics of which must also be included in the contract.
No provision in the contract is valid if it goes against the basic nature of the year-long contract unless it is in the rider's favor. In other words, you cannot include a provision in the contract that says, "the team may terminate this contract at its discretion for any reason" or "the team may terminate this contract at its discretion if the rider fails to perform up to team standards". Such types of wording would void the contract.
Your team may be based in a state known for "at will employment", but a UCI Continental Team is not an "at will" employer. If you hire a rider, presume it is for the whole year. During the registration process, our auditor will carefully check rider contracts to make sure they meet the minimum standards and do not contain any "out clauses" that effectively invalidate the nature of a contract. All contracts must contain a statement acknowledging any statement that differs from the model contract is null and void unless it is in the favor of the rider.
NOTE: Wages are not required for UCI Women's Continental Teams.
Staff Contracts
Each staff member on a UCI Women's Continental Team must have a contract or agreement in writing must be signed with each staff member of the team.
Insurance
During the registration process, teams are required to prove each rider on their team has adequate medical insurance that covers sickness, accidents, and repatriation. Teams may purchase health insurance for their riders or require them to purchase it. Either way, health insurance for each rider must be documented and submitted with their contract to the auditors during registration. A front and back photo of their insurance will be accepted as adequate documentation.
USA Cycling provides supplemental accident medical coverage to its licensed members participating in USA Cycling Sanctioned events. International licensed members are also covered while participating in a cycling competition sanctioned by the UCI or a Foreign Federation affiliated with the UCI while outside of the United States and its territories. Details can be found here.
The summary of our policy indicates the following, taking into account if the rider has insurance or not, along with the exclusions:
$25000 accident medical insurance. Maximum benefit of $500 for Dental, Orthopedic, Physical Therapy, and Transportation.
$1000 AD&D
$5000 Heart/circulatory malfunction
The UCI regulation 2.17.031 also specifies civil liability as indicated below.
Insurance against the following risks is compulsory for all events occurring during the rider's activities for the team (racing, training, travel, promotion, etc.). The insurances must be valid in all countries in which the rider is susceptible of performing activities for the team, whether individually or jointly with other team members:
Civil responsibility (of the rider; for an adequate amount)
Covered with the purchase of a USA Cycling license.
Accidents (costs of treatment until recovery with no amount limit)
Details on what USA Cycling covers can be found on the link above.
Sickness (costs of treatment and hospitalization with no amount limit)
Details on what USA Cycling covers can be found on the link above.
Repatriation (unlimited cover)
The USA Cycling insurance policies do not cover this. But there seems to be options available for this, similar to trip insurance. This is up to the team to provide.
Death (minimum value EUR 100,000 due to the beneficiaries designated by the rider)
The USAC Spot policy covers $1,000 for AD&D, but is at the discretion of the rider to purchase.
Teams shall take out and cover the costs for the insurances listed above insofar as the rider does not have such insurances through his license or his compulsory national social security system.
Bank Guarantee
The UCI requires each team to set up an unconditional bank guarantee in favor of USA Cycling. The minimum amount is 20,000 Euros or 15% of the combined salaries of the riders and staff, which every is higher. During the registration process, Waugh & Goodwin, LLP will identify the amount of the bank guarantee for each team. USA Cycling works with a bank in Colorado Springs to manage the bank guarantee and processes. New teams will be required to submit to a certified check directly to USA Cycling and payable to the team or paying agent for the team. USA Cycling will then set up an account dedicated to the team and deposit the check into the account.
Each team is required to complete and sign a bank guarantee agreement with USA Cycling that explains the nature of the bank guarantee and claims process. In addition, UCI Women’s Continental Teams must provide USA Cycling with a copy of the bank guarantee (UCI annex C-3) and the team operating budget (UCI annex C-1). All items are due by email no later than October 31.
Existing teams may continue to use the bank guarantee already established with USA Cycling, after paying all fines due the UCI and USA Cycling from previous seasons. If the bank guarantee amount due is greater than the amount currently available in the account, the team will be required to supplement the amount. If the existing bank guarantee on file is more than the team is required to have for the year, and there are no challenges, then the difference will be refunded to team no earlier than March 31st of the year the team is registered.
The bank guarantee payment is due to USA Cycling no later than November 8.
Clothing
Clothing used by UCI teams is closely regulated by the UCI. As such, teams are required to submit their clothing designs on the DataRide platform for approval BEFORE production. These designs must be uploaded onto the DataRide platform and consist of a high quality PDF document which includes the artwork for both front and back of the jersey and short designs. Please refer to the "clothing" section of the UCI registration guide for more details around colors, placement of sponsors, etc. while designing team kits.
To promote the UCI America's Tour, the UCI is mandating that the appropriate UCI logo be incorporated into the design of the jersey. Relevant information can be found here. Logo files can be downloaded from the last page of the document.
In order to accommodate tighter deadlines for production of team clothing, two windows for submission and approval of jerseys will be in place.
11/01 - 11/10 -- First opportunity for review and approval of jerseys by USA Cycling and the UCI
12/01 - 12/10 -- Final opportunity for review and approval of jersey by USA Cycling and the UCI
Teams must not start production of its clothing until the design has been validated by both USA Cycling and the UCI on the DataRide platform. If a non-validated jersey has been produced, the team shall be subject to sanctions as stated in article 1.3.072. Furthermore, this does not exempt the team from correcting the jersey and producing it again.
NOTE: Pantone colors or similar pantone colors of the UCI Women's WorldTour leaders jerseys can't be used as the main color of a UCI Women's Continental Team jersey. In order to avoid the jersey being rejected or delayed in the approval process, the UCI recommends to avoid pink or violet as the main jersey color. If used, the designs must be deemed different enough from UCI Women's WorldTour leaders jersey.
Equipment
Teams must share the equipment which will be used in road races and time trials. Equipment used by UCI teams is closely regulated, with lists of approved frames, forks, and wheels available on the UCI Equipment web page.
Please complete and return this equipment form to the UCI using this online form no later than November 28.
UCI Height Exemption Lists
Riders in the height range of 180.0 cm – 189.9 cm and 190 cm or taller are eligible to request an exemption to be added to Category 2 & Category 3 respectively as per article 1.3.023.
A rider must provide a one-time medical Attestation signed by the Head Medical Director of the team where the height is clearly stated. The Attestation template may be downloaded here.
To add the rider to the UCI height exemption list, please submit the completed Attestation template using this online form no later than 15-days prior to participation of the intended UCI-sanctioned event. Please note, the UCI Commissaire reserves a right to verify the height of the rider.
Medical Monitoring
The Medical Monitoring program is NOT required for UCI Continental Teams, but recommended as a minimum that can be considered to confirm medical fitness for competition. As a UCI team you should be aware of the program and of the medical rules under which the UCI operates. The regulations regarding Medical Rules may be found in the Part XIII: Medical Rules section of the UCI regulations.
Roster Changes
The UCI has limitations on how and when team rosters can be changed. Under normal circumstances, roster changes may be made given the following criteria:
During the season. Teams may add a rider if that rider meets all criteria and has not had a contract with a UCI team in the same season (except cyclo-cross riders, who can be transferred during the period of March 15 - April 15).
Transfers. Between June 1 and July 15, riders who have been on a UCI team in the current year may transfer to a different UCI team. As part of this transfer process, the rider, their original team, and new team, must submit to USA Cycling a mutually agreed upon termination agreement.
Trainees. Between August 1 and December 31, teams may add two U23 riders or second year Juniors to the roster as "trainees".
The rider may not previously have ridden for a UCI road team.
Such riders shall obtain the authorization of their Federation and may be associated with only one UCI team during this period. Authorization is not required for riders holding a USA Cycling license.
Upon authorization from the UCI, a trainee rider may continue to participate in events of their club team.
Note: Any additions to the rider list will require a new audit and review by our auditors, Waugh & Goodwin. Please submit contract, proof of insurance, and the teams updated budget to USA Cycling and Waugh & Goodwin at the addresses listed above. Teams will be invoiced at $150 per rider add.
New riders must be added to the team's Rider List on the DataRide platform. The "trainees" must be added to the rider list through the DataRide platform. Please check the "trainee" checkbox, indicate the date from which the rider will join the team, and upload any required authorizations before submitting the updates.
