The UCI has confirmed there will be 18 teams in the men`s WorldTour in 2019, with 25 teams registered at the Professional Continental level. The 18 WorldTour teams are the same structures as those in the 2018 WorldTour, with the UCI confirming title sponsors and team nationality. Jim Ochowicz`s team will officially be known as CCC Team after the Polish shoe brand took over title sponsorship from BMC. Deceuninck is the new title sponsor for Patrick Lefevere`s Quick-Step squad. LottoNL-Jumbo will be known as Team Jumbo-Visma, with the Dutch team confirming the arrival of the Norwegian IT company Visma as second sponsor just after the UCI announced the team had a place in the 2019 WorldTour.ADVERTISEMENT Far more significant changes in the WorldTour and Professional Continental teams are expected for the 2020 season, when the UCI will award new three-year licences for the 18 WorldTour places. Several current Professional Continental teams have already confirmed they hope to step up a level in 2020 but will need to score ranking points during the 2019 season and sign big-name riders to secure a place in the 2020 WorldTour. The UCI checked the teams registration requests, rider rosters and budgets under the ethical, financial, administrative and organisational criteria. Only UAE Team Emirates needed further checks and a final confirmation from the UCI`s Licence Committee for a place in the WorldTour, while seven Professional Continental teams, including the Israel Cycling Academy, faced extra scrutiny. All were eventually given places in the 2019 peloton. Five teams have dropped out of cycling`s second division, with three new teams stepping up, including Corendon-Circus as they hope to secure invites to the major Spring Classics for team leader and cyclo-cross star Mathieu van der Poel. Other new teams stepping up to Professional Continental level include the Riwal Readynez cycling team from Denmark and W52/FC Port from Portugal. The Roompot and Veranda`s Wi ...
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