Following Gazprom-Rusvelo's ban from competing in Ukraine following Russia's invasion of the country, team boss Renato Camidulin admitted that he has had "interesting contacts" in his search for an alternative sponsor to make up the 3.5-4 million euro funding shortfall for the remainder of 2022.

The Russians last week set a March 27 deadline for saving the team, whether in negotiations with the UCI or a new sponsor; negotiations with the UCI have so far made no progress, including a proposal to race in a neutral jersey with a "message of peace."

The team's lead sponsor, Gazprom Germania, already paid the team a portion of its 2022 sponsorship in January, so Camidulin will not have to find money for the year. He told Cyclingnews that the amount he is seeking to fulfill his current contract and keep the team alive for the 2022 season is closer to €4 million.

"At the moment, we can see that we already have some interesting contacts who are really interested in this project," Camidulin said of the search for a new sponsor.

"But of course, we prefer to have the document signed so we can say it was a successful search."

UCI confirmed to Cycling News that Gazprom Rusvelo needs to find a sponsor other than Russia and change the country of registration.

"At this stage, the team's paying agent, Swiss-based PROvelo AG, has not presented an application that meets the requirements applicable to registration as a UCI professional team.

"The decision of the UCI Management Committee will be strictly applied and the team will not be registered with Russian or Belarusian nationality and will not be entitled to have a Russian or Belarusian sponsor. 13]

" Nevertheless, a team that has been stripped of its UCI status has the right to apply to register under another nationality, provided that it complies with the nationality rules applicable to the team."

The UCI has also decided that "the team will not be allowed to register under the nationality of Russia or Belarus.

CyclingNews also understands that teams will need to provide a new UCI bank guarantee.

Kamidulin and Gazprom-Rusvelo were forced to look elsewhere, despite his claim that neither the team's sponsor (Gazprom's German subsidiary), paying agent (Switzerland), nor base (near Lake Garda, Italy) is Russian.

"The paying agent responsible for the team is a Swiss company. 'I live in Italy and the team's service course is based in Italy and managed by an Italian company.' The sponsor is a German company."

"I am only stating these facts because they indicate that it was a rather strange decision.

Camidulin noted that about 100 jobs would be at risk if the team was forced to disband permanently. He added that in the 10 years he has worked for the team, he has never failed in his wage obligations to riders and staff, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when several other teams were forced to take pay cuts.

He told Cycling News that many people faced the prospect of losing their jobs and were puzzled by the UCI's approach to the team situation.

"They didn't want to discuss it with us," he said. We just got the decision from the UCI."

Camidulin also questioned the UCI's citation of rule 1.1.089 in its new ad hoc rules (open in new tab) regarding the ban on Russian and Belarusian teams and events. The rule prohibits brands such as tobacco, spirits, and pornographic products that "could damage the image of the UCI or cycling" from associating with teams or other license holders.

In this case, the regulation was cited because Gazprom is the majority state-owned company in Russia, and Kamidulin compared the company to Total Energy, the sponsor of a French professional team.

"This article was referred to in the ruling. 'My question is what is this product that is damaging the image of cycling and the UCI?'

"If it's gas, for example, I don't know, but Total Energies is in the same business as Gazprom. I am not sure about this point. I don't have an answer for this question."

Camidulin and Gazprom Rusvelo have a deadline for the team in a little over two weeks. Until then, the riders and staff are free to move elsewhere in accordance with UCI ad hoc rules.

The UCI initially stated that it would consider "concrete measures" to allow riders on the Russian and Belarusian teams to register with other teams mid-season, but after this ban, the UCI confirmed that these measures are now in place.

"License holders registered with a Russian or Belarusian UCI team on March 1, 2022 will be allowed to register with a UCI team that is neither Russian nor Belarusian, outside the registration period established by the UCI Regulations for the respective discipline," as well as the banned This also applies to the banned teams Vozrozhdenie, Minsk Cycling Club, CCN Factory Racing and the track team Marathon-Tula.

When asked about the concern of potentially losing key athletes mid-season, including climbers Ilnur Zakarin and Jose Manuel Diaz, sprinter Matteo Marcelli, and UAE Tour stage winner Matthias Vacek, Camidulin said that he was more concerned about the athletes' and staff, he replied that he was more worried about the lives of the players and staff.

"We worry about most of our players and staff losing their jobs. For example, we have about three riders who could potentially move to another team, but of course we are not going to let them stay on the team. Of course we're not going to let them stay on the team.

"But we are also talking about the number of riders who will be gone from the team. Perhaps three riders are looking for new contracts with other teams, but 18 riders remain out of work.

"We agreed with everyone that we are all together, as a team, until March 27.

The prospect of finding a new team with full representation of riders and staff in mid-March is difficult in a sport where teams are often full by November.

Cristian Scaroni's agent, Raimondo Scimone, told Cycling News that he "signed with Pozzovivo (Intermarque Wantigover) in mid-February and found the market near impossible."

Alex Carrera, who represents six of the team's players through A&J All Sports, including Vacek, made similar statements to WielerFlits (open in new tab) on Saturday.

"It's very difficult for all the riders. We have 99 percent of the teams filled; 99 percent of the teams are full, and if they're not full, we don't have the money to get additional riders."

"If Renato can find a new sponsor [by March 27], my riders will stay on the team. I have a lot of respect for Renato."

"It is possible for three riders, but difficult for the others. Riders like Andrea Piccolo and Vacek have great talent, so there's no need to worry right away." Several world tours and pro teams have already contacted me in the past week."

Camidulin told Cycling News that he hopes to have a possible solution by the beginning of next week, which would be a miraculous result considering the task is more than just his March 27 deadline.

"We will do everything possible to make that happen," he told Cycling News after giving an impromptu video tour of the team's service course, showing resting cars and bikes.

"We're just getting ready to fight. I think we did a good job in training camp this year and we really changed the team for this season.

"At the beginning of the season we had a good start with two wins and a top five finish. If the team can find new partners and new sponsors, it will be a successful season.