UCI publish full list of teams ahead of the new year
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Slipstream Sports unveiled the new EF Education First-Drapac team kit(Image credit: Cannondale-Drapac)
Both sponsor names appear prominently on the front of the jersey(Image credit: Mitchelton-Scott)
Axeon Hagens Berman General Manager Axel Merckx, the bronze medalist in the 2004 Olympic road race, still enjoys training rides – and cups of coffee – with his team.(Image credit: Davey Wilson)
Rob Britton, Heidi Franz, Evan Huffman, and Sara Bergen wear the 2018 Rally kit(Image credit: Courtesy of Sam Wiebe / Rally Cycling)
Adam Blythe in the 2018 Aqua Blue Sport team kit(Image credit: Aqua Blue Sport)
The inaugural Vital Concept Club kit is predominantly green and black(Image credit: Courtesy of Vital Concept Club)
The UCI has published the full list of WorldTour and Professional Continental teams that will participate in the top two tiers of professional cycling in 2018. There will be 18 teams competing at the highest level and 27 teams in the second division of the sport, which includes six new additions.
There are no big changes to the WorldTour list compared to the 2017 season, as the same 18 teams will compete. However, changes have been made to some of their title sponsorships. Orica-Scott sought out a new title sponsor after Orica announced it would end sponsorship of its teams at the end of this season. The team will become Mitchelton-Scott, and they revealed their new black and yellow kit in December.
There were changes to the Professional Continental list for 2018. There are six teams added to the second division including American outfits Hagens Berman Axeon, Holowesko-Citadel and Rally Cycling, French outfit Vital Concept Cycling Club, and Spain's Euskadi Basque Country-Murias and Burgos-BH,
Hagens Berman Axeon announced in early December that the UCI had approved their request for an upgrade after spending nine seasons in the Continental ranks.
Holowesko-Citadel manager Thomas Craven announced at the Tour of Alberta in September that he secured funding for the upgrade.
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Fortuneo-Oscaro will become Pro Cycling Breizh while Soul Brasil Pro Cycling Team is longer on the list.
2018 WorldTour
AG2R La Mondiale Astana Pro Team Bahrain-Merida BMC Racing Team Bora-Hansgrohe FDJ Lotto Soudal Mitchelton - Scott Movistar Team Quick-Step Floors Dimension Data EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale Katusha Alpecin LottoNL-Jumbo Team Sky Team Sunweb Trek-Segafredo UAE Team Emirates
2018 Professional Continental
Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec Aqua Blue Sport Bardiani CSF Burgos-BH Caja Rural-Seguros RGA CCC Sprandi Polkowice Cofidis, Solutions Credits Delko Marseille Provence KTM Direct Energie Euskadi Basque Country-Murias Gazprom-Rusvelo Hagens Berman Axeon Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources Israel Cycling Academy Manzana Postobon Team Nippo-Vini Fantini-Europa Ovini Pro Cycling Breizh (Fortuneo-Oscaro) Rally Cycling Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise Team Novo Nordisk UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team Veranda's Willems-Crelan Vital Concept Cycling Club Wanty-Groupe Gobert WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia
