Team Europcar has sent its request to the UCI to be promoted from its current professional continental status to a ProTeam. Team manager Jean-Rene Bernaudeau tells Sud Ouest that his sponsors want participation in all the biggest races in the world.

Team Europcar has set its sights on a return to the highest level of the sport and has asked the UCI to promote them from their current pro continental status to ProTeam. The French team has officially sent its application to the international federation and hopes to receive one of the maximum 18 licenses on offer.

According to the UCI rules, the international federation may issue up to 18 ProTeam licenses to teams that get the right to and are obliged to participate in all WorldTour races. This year, an exemption was made when the Court of Arbitration for Sports CAS decided that Katusha had the right to be part of the upper league and so was added to the list of ProTeams, meaning that 19 teams have been part of the upper echelon this year.

With the disbandments of Euskaltel and Vacansoleil, there is an open spot, and Europcar manager Jean-Rene Bernaudeau hopes that his team will fill the gap.

"Now we have to wait for the verdict. Our sponsor wanted to participate in all the big races, including the Vuelta a Espana," he told Sud Ouest following the announcement of his official request.

Until now, the team has announced the signings of Jimmy Engoulvent and neo-pros Romain Guillemois and Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier. If the license is granted, the team will have to sign a few more riders.

"Currently I have 22 riders which is too much for our current level, but if we go to the World Tour, I need to sign another three, " Bernaudeau said. "But I will not sign more than that."

To get a ProTeam license the team will have to fulfil the sporting, ethical, financial and administrative criteria. The team was part a first division team until the 2010 season when it dropped to pro continental level.