Rodriguez holding out hope for Katusha in WorldTour case

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Joaquim Rodriguez assumes that his Team Katusha will get a WorldTour licence and is planning his season accordingly. The Court of Arbitration for Sport is scheduled to announce its decision this week on the team's appeal of the UCI's decision not to grant the licence.

Rodriguez had earlier indicated he would leave the team if it did not receive the licence, but he now seems convinced that such a step will not be necessary.

"Change now would be a risk,” he told Marca.com. “The truth is that being a WorldTour team at all costs is not the most important, what I want is to make my calendar. We are told that there is hope that we will be reinstated.” 

Rodriguez, who led the UCI's rider rankings in 2012, has said that his primary goal this year is to win the Tour de France, and wants to be assured of an invitation to the race.

The Spaniard said that he was very surprised when the UCI announced in December that Katusha was denied the licence for “ethical reasons.” 

"These things can only happen in cycling. I received calls to switch teams, but from the beginning I said that until the matter was resolved I did not want anything to do with deals."

The team subsequently received a Professional Continental licence, allowing it to participate in races.