Teams Poised To Make Landmark Decision In Paris-Nice Dispute
Teams Poised To Make Landmark Decision In Paris-Nice Dispute
by Justin Davis
PARIS, Feb 26, 2008 (AFP) - Professional teams caught up in a row between the International Cycling Union (UCI) and major race organisers are poised to make a decision which could force one of the two warring parties into a dramatic turnaround.
The UCI on Monday effectively warned teams they could be sanctioned if they turned up to race at Paris-Nice, the first major European stage race of the season, on March 9-16.
Following a long-running dispute, and subsequent split, between the UCI and major race organisers, Paris-Nice’s parent company ASO (Amaury Sports
Organisation) aim to run the race under the auspices of the French Cycling Federation (FFC), with backing from the French government.
However that “far-reaching” move, according to a strongly-worded UCI statement released on Monday, means the race will no longer be a UCI-ratified event. Fears of a similar fate surround the Tour de France, one of several top races owned by ASO.
Cofidis team manager Eric Boyer, in his capacity as president of the International Association of Professional Cycling Teams (AIGCP), said Tuesday he is currently discussing the issue with his fellow team managers.
And he said whatever decision is made could determine how the teams approach other races which the UCI may decide to target, including races run by RCS and Unipublic - the respective organisers of a number of top Italian and Spanish races who have also been in dispute with the UCI.
“For the moment I’m consulting with all of the teams so that we can unanimously define which direction we are going to take,” Boyer told AFP Tuesday.
“After that I will be asking for a meeting with Pat McQuaid to inform him of our intentions.
“Our decision will determine how we will race (other events) the rest of the season,” added Boyer, referring to the events run by ASO, RCS and Unipublic.
Races such as the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Tour of Spain are now no longer classed on the Pro Tour, the elite cycling calendar set up by the UCI several years ago but which has been criticised by race organisers ever since.
Of the 27 races on the 2007 Pro Tour calendar, there are now only 16. All the races run by ASO, RCS and Unipublic now feature either on a ‘World’
calendar or an ‘Historic’ calendar - a name which has yet to be confirmed.
A brief statement by ASO suggested they are ready to dig their heels in:
“Despite the hostile positions taken by the UCI President, Paris-Nice will take place as planned from March 9-16, and will be organised according to the technical rules of the French Cycling Federation, in application of the French law.”
Existing tensions between the UCI and race organisers, mainly over disagreements with the Pro Tour issues, have worsened this season.
Most recently, ASO controversially did not invite Astana - a Pro Tour team
- to the 2008 Tour de France on the premise that the doping scandal which led to its exit from the 2007 edition had done lasting damage to the race’s image.
That decision enraged the UCI, who highlighted the fact that other teams - such as French outfit Cofidis - were thrown off the race after a rider tested positive.
McQuaid feels strongly that Astana, which features Tour de France champion Alberto Contador and third placed finisher Levi Leipheimer, should be allowed to race in July.
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Can’t we all just get along? So many of us are working to build cycling and bring it to a broader public. These nut jobs are going to ruin everything if they turn TdF and GdI and ToS into fractured events only sporting partial weakened fields.