UCI reportedly threatens to strip Visma, Lidl-Trek and 3 other teams of their World Tour license

Fresh controversy is brewing in women’s cycling following a turbulent edition of the 2025 Tour de Romandie Féminin. After five teams were disqualified by the UCI for allegedly failing to comply with new GPS tracking regulations, the governing body has now escalated the situation — threatening to revoke their World Tour licenses.

Canyon//SRAM Zondacrypto, EF Education-Oatly, Lidl-Trek, Team Picnic PostNL, and Team Visma | Lease a Bike — along with eight individual riders — have formally appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), challenging their disqualification from the August race.

According to journalist Daniel Benson, beyond the initial disqualifications, the UCI has referred the matter to its Disciplinary Commission and warned the teams that their licenses are under review by the UCI Licensing Commission.

The controversy centres around the UCI’s mandate to use a new GPS tracking device — developed by its sponsor, Swiss Timing — in a live professional race. The teams argue that the rollout of the device lacked transparency, consultation, and sufficient technical preparation.

While the teams and riders had expressed their willingness to support the pilot test, they requested that the UCI be responsible for installing the devices and coordinating with the athletes accordingly. The UCI declined, and when teams refused to proceed under the given conditions, they were disqualified en masse.

In their appeal to CAS, the teams argue that the disqualification of 30 riders and five teams was a breach of UCI regulations, carried out without due process and in a way that they say felt coercive and disproportionate.

Of particular concern is the potential loss of World Tour licenses — especially for powerhouse teams like Visma and Lidl-Trek, who also play prominent roles in the men’s peloton. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching consequences across professional cycling.

For now, the future of these five teams remains uncertain. As soon as more information becomes available, we’ll provide updates. Until then, the World Tour status of some of the sport’s biggest names hangs in the balance.