National track cycling champions Team Huub Wattbike are to fold in a row over competing in next year’s World Cup series.
The team were told they would not be able to take part in the top competition by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) because all trade teams are banned.
Now the team has revealed that it will shutdown unless there’s a U-turn by UCI.
UCI announced last July that it would be banning all trade cycling teams from competing at any worldwide track event.
This has meant teams, such as HUUB Wattbike, will no longer be able to perform on the platforms to pull in the necessary funding to keep the team going.
It’s been a frustrating 24 hours for the team. We will be putting a statement out on Monday. In short, it’s disappointing for us and detrimental to cycling as a whole. Maybe beating the French in Paris with David Lappartient watching wasn’t the smartest move 👀 #LongLiveDerbados https://t.co/LqVdG3qhi1
— Huub Wattbike p/b Vita Coco (@HuubWattbike) June 21, 2019
One member of the team and ex-University of Derby student Will Perrett admitted the future was still uncertain for him with UCI yet to make up their minds officially: “It’s difficult because we had made a plan for life after Team HUUB, and now UCI is being indecisive and it means our future hangs in the balance.”
“I obviously want to continue riding for HUUB but it’s going to be tough having had nearly all our sponsors pull out of funding us for next season, which is completely understandable as last week it seemed as if we were doomed.”
The current national team pursuit champions know that even if UCI does change its mind, the team could look very different next season with many of the team members having already made agreements with other teams to join them in the summer.
Congratulations to @HuubWattbike who this weekend won gold at the national track champs! @theamrc small part in #aeroupgradev3 must have done something – they also smashed a new track record!! #7to10watts @DanBiggles22 @JonnyDWale pic.twitter.com/s871GUKNHm
— Ben Morgan (@Benj_Morgan) January 27, 2020
Kyle Gordon, another member of the squad, is concerned he won’t have the right backing in order to try and claim a spot in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, held in Birmingham: “I’m going to have to look elsewhere for some private sponsoring, as I really want to make the Scotland squad for 2022, and that won’t happen unless I compete at the World Cup events.
“For the moment I will have to drop down to class two races when the track season starts back up in September, as if I don’t have the backing from a sponsor I can’t afford to enter the first class races under my own steam.”
Looking forward, new team member Tom Ward revealed that the team’s upcoming world record attempt for the team pursuit in Bolivia could potentially be the final bow for the Derbyshire-based team:
“This Bolivia trip might be the last you see of Team HUUB, as we attempt to break the team pursuit record currently held by the Danish national team,” he said.
“I’m confident the team can slash at least two seconds off the current best time, and I think if this is to be the end of Team HUUB Wattbike then it’s a fitting way to go, by breaking records.”
Team Huub Wattbike may fold due to a rule change which means it cannot compete in the World Championships.
