Business: Media, Arkéa-Samsic with the Colombia superstar Nairo Quintana applies for WorldTour status in 2020

Cycling Weekly, Arkéa-Samsic and Cofidis have applied for WorldTour licences ahead of the 2020 season, with the ranks of the top tier of professional cycling potentially swelling to 20 teams next year

• Arkéa-Samsic have made a number of high-profile signings recently as they show their intent to compete at cycling’s highest level, with Movistar’s Nairo Quintana switching to the French team, along with Winner Anacona. Meanwhile, when André Greipel’s contract termination was announced, they moved to sign a new sprint team, gaining the signatures of Nacer Bouhanni, Daniel McLay and Thomas Boudat.
• In April the UCI said it would change its rules to allow an extra two teams to gain WorldTour status, from 18 to 20, with five teams originally in the hunt for promotion. 
• Following audits and assessment of teams’ compliance, the UCI say they will announce their decision on the allocation and renewal of licences on December 19 at the latest.

Cycling News, Arkéa-Samsic and Cofidis are the only two current second division sides seeking to move up to the WorldTour

• Under new rules for the next three-year period of the WorldTour, up to 20 teams can secure a place at the top level. All 18 current WorldTour teams will be assured a place if they finish the season in the top 20 places in the retrospective three-year world ranking for UCI men's teams covering points scored in 2017, 2018 and 2019 by the 10 best riders of each team.
• Should Arkéa-Samsic and Cofidis make the top 18 of the ranking, then they will have satisfied the sporting criteria necessary to make the WorldTour for the next three years. Prospective teams also have to satisfy ethical, financial, organisational and administrative rules in order to secure a WorldTour spot.

Velo News, Quintana hoping for ‘100 percent’ support in new team

• Colombian Nairo Quintana – second twice in the Tour de France and stage winner in 2018 and 2019 – wants to have “100 percent support” from his next team for 2020.
• For Quintana, who has struggled in the Tour over the past three editions, a new start will be welcome. “That is the idea, to be able to find a team where I feel comfortable, where I am happy and where they can support me 100 percent,” Quintana said. “Where I feel like what I am and that we can shine more than ever.”

Cycling Weekly, Arkéa-Samsic have said that Quintana will act as a team leader alongside Warren Barguil, the French national road race champion.

• General manager of Arkéa-Samsic, Emmanuel Hubert, said the team will now target winning a Grand Tour within three seasons, and that they now have the squad to rival the best WorldTour outfits.
• “On paper, our 2020 team, composed of 28 riders, will have nothing to envy to the best teams of the World Tour. We give ourselves three seasons to make the project a reality by winning a Grand Tour,” he said.
• “The alliance between Nairo Quintana and Warren Barguil must be an added strength for them. They must use one another to progress. Nairo Quintana won the Tour of Italy and the Tour of Spain and has three podiums in the Tour de France. I am also convinced that Warren Barguil has the ability to shine in the overall standings and it is on this path that we want to bring him.”