The Argos-Shimano team in the Tour of Hainan(Image credit: Guoqiang Song)
The Argos-Shimano team leaves the start.(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Team Argos - Shimano(Image credit: Sonja Csury)
Team Argos-Shimanowas granted a WorldTour license on Monday by the UCI. The team will make its WorldTour debut in 2013; it is the only team to make the jump up from the Professional Continental ranks into the WorldTour for next season.
After satisfying sporting, ethical, financial and administrative criteria, the team was given a four-year WorldTour license, thereby assuring it of participation in all competitions at the highest level during that period.
"This WorldTour licence is a reward for the combination of a strong group of riders and innovative coaching staff, who have managed to get into the WorldTour through their own efforts," said Iwan Spekenbrink, General Manager of Team Argos-Shimano. "It's greatly satisfying to work with a team that's growing mainly through developing itself."
Spekenbrink credited his riders and staff for their hard work and talent. He also noted that the team's progressive approach was proving successful.
"Team Argos-Shimano represents an innovative and modern top sport project, in which we take the responsibility of coaching our talented athletes totally and in all respects; a method that has been successful in other sports and will undoubtedly be applied elsewhere in cycling."
The team's process is based on the 1t4i principle - team spirit, inspiration, integrity, improvement, innovation, which is directed at improving both individuals and the team, the riders' physical and mental talents are linked to intensive modern coaching, a method that has been shown to be effective.
After hearing the news, one of the team's star riders, Marcel Kittel, tweeted, "Year baby!!! The @1t4i philosophy brought us the WorldTour License!! Congrats to everyone who is part, fan & supporter of Argos-Shimano!"
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Spekenbrink also thanked the team' sponsors. "The granting of this licence is also certainly what our faithful sponsors deserve. They have enabled us to achieve this and really believe in using a sustainable policy like ours in building a top sporting organisation. The WorldTour licence puts us in position to consistently continue our policy in the next few years and so keep on growing," he said.
