UCI reportedly threatens to strip Visma, Lidl-Trek and 3 other teams of their World Tour license
Cycling
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.
Dispute Over GPS Devices Sparks Legal Action
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.
Visma could lose its World Tour license
Teams Claim Due Process Was Ignored
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.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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