The International Cycling Union (UCI) has given Brazilian team Funvic Soul Cycles Carrefour a pro continental license. Little by little they have submitted all the documents required by the UCI and auditors Ernst & Young. Now there is no doubt: they will be on the roads in 2016 as the only professional team in Latin America after the demise of Colombia.

Funvic Soul Cycles Carrefour will enter the world elite and the Pro Continental license allows them to be invited to the WorldTour calendar. It is led by businessman João Paulo Diniz and sports manager Benedito Tadeu Azevedo Junior.

Despite the surprise, Funvic is not a team with history. The team began in the continental category in 2010. Since then, they have always been on American roads and done sporadic trips to Europe. But it has mostly been focused on the Latin American calendar. In 2015, for example, they achieved 12 wins, four in Argentina, four in Uruguay and four in Brazil. The most prestigious was , without doubt, the overall victory at the Tour de San Luis with Dani Diaz who beat rivals like Nairo Quintana in the Argentinean race.

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For the 2016 season, Funvic receives the fundamental support of two major sponsors already on the team but they have taken a step forward: Soul Cycles, one of the largest bike manufacturers in America, and the Carrefour network of supermarkets which has a good relationship with cycling in France (sponsor of the Tour) and in Spain (main sponsor of the Vuelta). With this economic boost, the Brazilian squad has decided to step up in a year in which Brazil will capture many sports headlines thanks to the Olympic Games in Rio.

The manager, Benedito Tadeu Azevedo Junior, has presented a project for the medium and long term, with the addition of veteran riders from its present continental structure, but also by hiring a number of neo-pros.

"This achievement was made ​​possible by a partnership between the team and the entrepreneur João Paulo Diniz who in recent years has given us great support. Our objectives were common and, therefore, we aligned everything to create the project to obtain this license which includes a process with the UCI and Ernst & Young," said team manager Benedito Tadeu Azevedo Junior.

"We would also like to thank these institutions [UCI and Ernst & Young] who have given full support to the project from day one. That's a big step for the globalization of cycling according to the rules of the UCI," he said.

For João Paulo Diniz, timing is very important for cycling in Brazil. "It's the first time a Brazilian team wil be part of the elite of the cycling world. It's a great achievement for Brazilian sport," said the businessman.

"After a few years with the Continental team, being the only Brazilian and Latin American team to appear on a list of Pro Continental teams is a source of great pride for all of us involved with cycling. It is a sign that we are on a good path, looking to popularize and professionalize cycling in Brazil," Azevedo said.