Joaquim Rodríguez Oliver annoyed with Team Katusha licence devastation
Team Katusha was shocked after hearing the news of its World Tour licence denial by UCI while both Team Argos-Shimano and Team Saxo-Tinkoff were given the green signal by the authorities.
However, UCI decided to refuse the team ranked second at the UCI World Tour team’s rankings with its cyclist, Joaquim Rodriguez leading the Individual rankings at the event.
The Cycling organising body has told the team that it can apply for the Professional Continental licence before it is too late.
The Russian team is facing the circumstances, it never planned for, and why would it as the team claimed 1273 UCI points throughout the season and occupied the second overall position after the UCI Team’s rankings after Team Sky.
Joaquim Rodriguez individually secured 692 UCI points which are far more than Team Saxo-Tinkoff’s total count of 401 points.
The whole Team Katusha squad including the management is still trying to figure out the reason behind the UCI’s decision as nothing has yet been stated by the fir.
"I do not know how it works and, until it we have clarity, I prefer not to say anything because everything you say can go against us. I'll see. Hopefully that is resolved," Rodriguez stated as reported reported by Bicicilismo.
Rodriguez said of his 2012 season, "It was very good, hard to repeat. I'm very happy with how it went. Having lost the Vuelta and Giro means I am close. I would like to fight again for a big one. I'll see. I'll settle for trying to win".
The Spaniard filled his bag with several top performances in the 2012 season and it will be unjust if he had to wait on a wild-card entry to ride the World Tour races across the season.
He finished first at the La Fleche Wallonne, the Giro di Lombardia and bagged multiple stages at the Giro d’Italia, Tour of the Basque Country, Vuelta a Espana and the Tirreno-Adriatico 2012 along with a second overall finish at the Giro d’Italia and third
overall at the Vuelta a Espana 2012.
It is still not certain whether Rodriguez will continue his 2013 term with Team Katusha or join a team already approved for the WorldTour status for the season ahead.
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