The UCI made an exception to its rule prohibiting non-ProTour teams from competing in the ProTour events when it granted special permission to the Australian National Cycling Team to race the Tour Down Under in January according to Adelaide's The Advertiser.
2008 will mark the first time the Tour Down Under is conducted with ProTour event status. Per the request of the South Australian Government, the UCI is allowing the national team to compete. The rule change lets the national team of a race organizer's country take part in UCI ProTour events and the change will be applied for the first time at the Tour Down Under.
