Roth Skoda granted Pro Continental licence

The Roth Skoda team will make the step to Pro Continental level after receiving official confirmation from the UCI of their status for 2016. 

The Swiss outfit did not appear on the UCI's initial list of 17 teams granted Pro Conti licences for next year, published earlier this month, and had to appear before the Licence Commission for closer scrutiny. The Commission looks at teams' finances, chiefly the sponsorship agreements in place, along with technical and logistical aspects, to make sure they are fit for the licence they are applying for.

The UCI has not officially announced the team, which recently added tire company Schwalbe as a sponsor, as part of the Pro Continental ranks, but the team itself communicated that it received confirmation on Friday.

"We are delighted to be allowed to race next year at such a demanding level," said the team's boss Roberto Marchetti. 

A string of signings have been made to prepare for the jump up, including Bruno Pires, who has just spent four years with Tinkoff-Saxo, and former BMC rider Martin Kohler. The team now has a confirmed roster of 24 riders for 2016.

Roth Skoda are the fifth team that will be new to the Pro Conti ranks next seasons after ONE Pro Cycling, Verva Active Jet, Delko Marseille Provence KTM, and Funvic Soul Carrefour all received confirmation that they would be making the step up. There are five applicants who are still being studied by the Licence Commission: Bardiani-CSF, CCC Sprandi Polkowice, Cult Energy-Stölting Group, Direct Energie (formerly Europcar), and Tharcor (Southeast).

Roth Skoda 2016 roster: Valentin Baillifard, Nicolas Baldo, David Belda, Nico Brüngger, Dimitri Bussard, Alberto Cecchin, Marco D'Urbano, Lucas Gaday, Grischa Janorschke, Lukas Jaun, Martin Kohler, Matthias Krizek, Tristan Marguet, Dylan Page, Andrea Pasqualon, Frank Pasche, Bruno Pires, Colin Stussi, Roland Thalmann, Nicola Toffali, Giacomo Tomio, Andrea Vaccher, Rino Zampilli, Andrea Zordan.