Cause for concern? Team Jayco AlUla missing from initial WorldTour licence applications, leaving riders able to terminate contracts early

A notable absentee from the UCI’s newly published list of provisional WorldTour registrations for 2026 has raised eyebrows across the peloton: Team Jayco AlUla.

The Australian outfit – home to riders such as Michael Matthews, Luke Plapp and Ben O’Connor – has not yet successfully submitted its paperwork for the next three-year WorldTour licence cycle, nor has it completed registration for the upcoming 2026 season. Its women’s team, Liv AlUla Jayco, is also missing from the list released by cycling’s governing body on Monday evening.

Teams had until 15 October to apply for either a WorldTour or ProTeam licence by providing detailed financial, ethical, and administrative documentation to the UCI. Those submissions are now under review, but Jayco AlUla’s absence from the initial list is unusual given its established position within the top tier of the sport.

It is, however, not yet a definitive exclusion. The UCI has confirmed that teams missing from the preliminary overview still have time to correct any administrative issues or provide additional documents before the registration process closes. The final list of approved teams will be published on 10 December, leaving Jayco AlUla with several weeks to resolve any outstanding matters.

Despite the apparent delay, Jayco AlUla’s transfer business for 2026 has been active. The team has added several key names including Amaury Capiot, Alessandro Covi, Dries De Bondt, Wil Holmes, Hamish McKenzie, and Andrea Vendrame.

However, a host of departures are also expected, with Dylan Groenewegen, Eddie Dunbar, Felix Engelhardt, and Filippo Zana among those reportedly set to move on at the end of the year.

According to UCI regulations, riders contracted to teams that have not yet submitted a valid licence application technically have the right to terminate their contracts early. That clause disappears once a team completes the registration process and its licence is officially validated.

It’s a rare situation, but not without precedent. Last year, in women’s cycling, Ceratizit–WNT failed to lodge its initial licence application on time, prompting team leader Cedrine Kerbaol to negotiate an early release and sign with EF Education–Oatly, despite still being under contract.

For Jayco AlUla, the most likely scenario remains a straightforward administrative delay rather than a structural crisis, but the absence will nonetheless cause a stir among riders, sponsors, and rival teams alike. With the UCI’s final confirmation due in December, all eyes will be on the Australian setup to ensure its place in the 2026 WorldTour peloton is secured without further drama.