As the ProTour licences for the teams Phonak, T-Mobile and Caisse d’Epargne-Illes Balears are due to expire at the end of 2006, the registration process for the candidature files for a UCI ProTour licence have been opened. The following candidatures will be submitted to the Licences Commission: Olaf Ludwig Cycling GmbH (T-Mobile Team), ARcycling AG (Phonak Hearing Systems), Abarca Sports S.L. (Caisse d’Epargne-Illes Balears), Unibet.com Foundation Bvba (Unibet), Graybell Management Ltd (Barloworld), San Marco Srl (merger between 3C Casalinghi Jet Androni and LPR).
In T-Mobile's case, "We wanted to extend it last year, but they told us we had to wait until this year to apply for the extension," said team manager Olaf Ludwig. "We did it on the due date of May 31." When the ProTour started in 2004, T-Mobile applied for only a two-year licence, as did teams Phonak and Illes Balears.
