Renato Kamidulin, manager of Gazprom Rusvelo, said that if the team cannot return to competition or find a new sponsor by March 27, the team will close permanently.

The team, currently sponsored by a Russian state-run energy consortium, was forced to suspend competition earlier this month after the UCI implemented a competition ban on Russian and Belarusian teams and events.

Gazprom Rusvelo, which had nine Russian and 12 foreign riders on its team, was the biggest victim of the ban. The Continental team Vozlodny, CCN Factory Racing, and Minsk Cycling Club have also been suspended as a result of the move.

In an Instagram Live interview (opens in new tab), Kamidulin explained that he is in contact with the UCI to find a solution for Gazprom Rusvelo to return to competition. However, according to Camidulin, the UCI did not respond to the team.

"The UCI explained that two of the sponsors, Gazprom and the name Rusvelo, which is associated with Russia, are incorrect. I explained that the team is based in Italy, the management company is based in Switzerland, and the sponsor is Gazprom of Germany."

"We offered to participate in the race with a white jersey and a message of peace, but it was not enough for the UCI. We wrote to them, asking for dialogue, but the UCI didn't even respond to us."

"The UCI was not even willing to respond to us.

Last week, Camidulin said that the team had switched its machines and jerseys to plain white to "bring a message of peace to the Trofeo Raiglia," but was unable to participate in the one-day race because the ban was announced the night before the race.

The team's bike and wheel suppliers, Look and Colima, withdrew their support prior to the ban, and the team's Italian rider, Alessandro Fedeli, blamed the ban for "shattering his dreams."

"Our team is healthy, competitive, and capable of winning. We can rely on an effective staff group, which I think is an important starting point for interested sponsors," Camidulin said.

"We are doing our best, but I had a meeting with the entire team and made it clear that unfortunately, if we don't have an alternative by March 27, we will have to close."

It is unclear whether the UCI's ban allows teams to re-register in another country mid-season if they find a new sponsor.

In a statement confirming the ban, the UCI said it would consider measures to allow non-Russian and non-Belarusian staff and riders to register with other teams. To date, however, the UCI has not publicly provided an update on that.

Cycling News has asked the UCI for clarification on these points and Kamidulin's claims.