Marianne Vos has agreed to the sport governing body's new two-tier team system, which guarantees four years of sponsorship and only teams that meet financial requirements will be granted a world team license in 2020.

Vos' CCC-Liv team is one of eight teams applying to become the top team in women's racing in 2020.

"It's important that we are guaranteed sponsorship for four years," Vos told Cycling News at the World Championships in Yorkshire at the end of September. We know that it is not easy for some teams to sign a stable four-year contract [with a sponsor] and know that everything will be financially supported. 7]

." It is difficult for the teams, but on the other hand it is good to have this kind of foundation and to have a more stable economic structure in cycling."

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The UCI announced reforms to women's professional cycling last year, emphasizing a new two-tier team system: world teams and continental teams. The new calendar, called the UCI Pro Series, also includes four classes: the UCI Women's World Tour, the UCI Pro Series, Class 1, and Class 2.

UCI President David Lapartient had initially set a goal of five world teams in the first year (2020), increasing to 15 by 2022.

Lapartiento also said that the UCI would accept more than five teams in the first year if more teams could meet the increased financial requirements, including minimum salary, social insurance, and benefits.

Expectations were exceeded when the UCI announced the eight teams applying for 2020 World Team licenses: Trek-Segafredo, Canyon SRAM, Mitchelton Scott, CCC Liv, Movistar, Team Sunweb, and Yale-Cipollini, FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope.

WNT-Rotor applied for a license but was not listed by the UCI.

Boels-Dolmans, the world's number one ranked women's team, was also not among the eight applicants. Cycling News spoke with Yorkshire team manager Danny Stam. He said that given that title sponsors Boels Rentals and Dolmans will end their contracts with the team in 2020, the team cannot guarantee sponsorship for four years.

"At the first meeting I applied for the World Tour, but I ran into a rule that said I had to apply for a four-year license," Stam told Yorkshire Cycling News. Stam told Yorkshire Cycling News, "and I was told that without a four-year future [guarantee] I couldn't apply for the World Tour."

Stam told Yorkshire Cycling News, "I was told that if I didn't have a four-year future [guarantee] I couldn't apply for the World Tour.

Stamm said that not having a world team license in the first year of reform would not affect the team. He said that teams with top-level licenses would automatically be invited to the Women's World Tour. The next team to be invited to race at the top level will be the highest ranked continental team, and he expects Boels Dolmans to be at the top of that list.

Cycling News asked Stamm if he felt a four-year guarantee would be too difficult for a women's team, to which he replied, "No."

Like Vos, he believes that forcing teams to meet the terms of a four-year sponsorship guarantee would bring more stability and security to female athletes in the sport.

"I'm in favor of the four-year guarantee because it will help the women's team provide longer support, a greater future," Stamm said.

Boss has been with the same team since she turned pro in the elite ranks in 2006. The team has changed several title sponsors over the years: team DSB, Nederland Bloeit (2010), Rabobank (2012), WM3 Energie (2017), WaowDeals (2018), and since 2019 CCC-. Liv.

Voss has a race contract with CCC-Liv through 2020. She recently won the overall 2019 Women's WorldTour title after a great season that included wins at the Trofeo Alfredo Binda, four stages at the Giro Rosa, Le Tour de France La Course, and the Ladies Tour of Norway.

Teams often rely on contracts with big-name riders like Voss to secure title sponsorship funding each year. But Voss said the new four-year sponsorship guarantee means that the team's future will no longer depend so much on the results of a handful of riders.

"I have a license to fight for the team until the end of 2020," Voss told Cycling News. 'The CCC-Liv license is not dependent on my continued contract.'

Voss is having her best season since 2014. She is looking forward to next year, when her main focus will be on the Tokyo Olympics, after which she will decide her future in cycling.

"I'm focused on Tokyo 2020 and after that I don't know. With my body type, I'm definitely not done with the sport, but I don't like to look further ahead either."