As Katusha seek to become more international in 2017, the team will register itself in Switzerland, rather than its native Russia, as confirmed to Cyclingnews.

Despite Igor Makarov continuing to have a share in team ownership, the squad will be less Russian in 2017, with just Ilnur Zakarin, Vyacheslav Kuznetsov, Matvey Mamykin Maxim Belkov and Pavel Kochetkov remaining as the Russian riders on the team. They already have German brand Canyon as bike sponsor, and Alpecin are expected to come aboard as a tile sponsor after leaving the Giant team.

Part of the reason for the move of licence is due to the lack of sponsors, with Russian companies more keen to invest in the 2018 Football World Cup than in cycling.

"We will formally be considered a Swiss team because that’s were we’ll be registered but everyone knows that the project was initially Russian and the word Katusha will be maintained along with the name of the new sponsor," team manager Viacheslav Ekimov told local media in Moscow.

“Sadly no one was willing to invest in the team in Russia. Hopefully this situation will change over time,” he added.