UCI won't recognise Paris-Nice

micron

The teams have said they will all ride and want to meet with the UCI to try and get things sorted out

http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme/breves20 ... 59Dev.html

Moomaloid

Thanx Iain great explanation. The Aldag situation is a complete stinker. It does seem that you can just cry your way to forgiveness.

So guys, if the majority of the teams sided with ASO would the IOC have to reconsider their position of support do you think?

iainf72

Moomaloid wrote:

So guys, if the majority of the teams sided with ASO would the IOC have to reconsider their position of support do you think?

Who knows - The IOC may see pro cycling as a nasty dirty creature and would prefer their games to be devoid of them?

Not convinced the teams are doing the right thing - I think they should explain to ASO how nervous their behaviour makes them.

Kléber

So the pro teams are basically sticking two fingers up at the UCI and McQuaid. Surely he has no authority and no credibility left? For the sake of cycling, is it time for him to go? Nothing personal, I've never met him, but his actions suggest he's out of his depth and we need a leader, not a figure of ridicule...

LangerDan

Even if the top teams side with the ASO, the alliance will last all of a couple of months. There is no way that Giro organisers will tolerate having the "technical" apsects of racing dictated by the French Federation. So you'll now have at least 3 groupings - UCI, ASO / French Federation and RCS / Italian Federation. If ASO don't lay their mitts on Unipublic, there may be a Spanish splinter.

The real trouble will start not at the "ProTour" level, but at the next level down - the ProContinental which is probably the main feeder route for many of the top teams. There is simply not enough capacity in the ASO races to invite many of these squads so there is no incentive for them to side with ASO - they'll probably run under the UCI. It will be interesting to see if / how the UCI will button up these guys. They could make it imposible for any unsuccesful riders to return from the top level and compete again at the lower levels.

I'd disagree with some of the posters about the universal benefits that a "Premier League" approach would bring to cycling. Sure it could bring a far higher profile at the top end but remember, that has to be funded somehow. Pay-per-view, anyone?

Last year I suggested that the race organisers and the UCI need a good slap. My offer still stands, if someone would hold my jacket.

iainf72

LangerDan wrote:

The real trouble will start not at the "ProTour" level, but at the next level down - the ProContinental which is probably the main feeder route for many of the top teams. There is simply not enough capacity in the ASO races to invite many of these squads so there is no incentive for them to side with ASO - they'll probably run under the UCI. It will be interesting to see if / how the UCI will button up these guys. They could make it imposible for any unsuccesful riders to return from the top level and compete again at the lower levels.

That's some good big picture analysis. And if the UCI remains as the governing body overall in the IOC's eyes, this has a huge impact for things like British Cycling. Would Wiggins ride at that top tier if he couldn't go to the Olympics?

meagain

Know litle and care less about the politics of the racing, but anything, ANYTHING, that destroys the arch-conservatism that is the UCI has got to be a very good thing for cycling overall.

If they ran motor sports cars would still be hotted up Austin 7s and m'cycles be belt drive.

andy_wrx

meagain wrote:

If they ran motor sports cars would still be hotted up Austin 7s and m'cycles be belt drive.

On the other hand, I used to marshal at motor racing and 750MC and VSCC meetings were far more interesting than some 'top flight' BTCC or F3 meetings...

nwallace

iainf72 wrote:

LangerDan wrote:

The real trouble will start not at the "ProTour" level, but at the next level down - the ProContinental which is probably the main feeder route for many of the top teams. There is simply not enough capacity in the ASO races to invite many of these squads so there is no incentive for them to side with ASO - they'll probably run under the UCI. It will be interesting to see if / how the UCI will button up these guys. They could make it imposible for any unsuccesful riders to return from the top level and compete again at the lower levels.

That's some good big picture analysis. And if the UCI remains as the governing body overall in the IOC's eyes, this has a huge impact for things like British Cycling. Would Wiggins ride at that top tier if he couldn't go to the Olympics?

But the Giro can run under Italian Federation National Rules, The Vuelta under the Spanish ones and still run as an organised series.

If they have told the UCI to GTF then there is nothing stopping them setting up their own rival international Body either.

And a good rally driver playing in the mud with a Ford Escort is a lot more entertaining than a bloody good one playing with a Scooby.

dulldave

Forget the Let Levi Ride petition, how about the Sack McQuaid petition?

iainf72

nwallace wrote:

But the Giro can run under Italian Federation National Rules, The Vuelta under the Spanish ones and still run as an organised series.

If the Italian Federation will do that - T-A starts 4 days after Paris-Nice and there isn't any indication of that happening yet.

Edit - The Italians appear to have confirmed they're not going to go it alone

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id= ... o_feb29_08

also, told ya it was to do with that stupid passport nonsense.

andy_wrx

nwallace wrote:

And a good rally driver playing in the mud with a Ford Escort is a lot more entertaining than a bloody good one playing with a Scooby.

Mk1 or Mk2 RWD Escort, yes I agree. FWD or 4WD, nah.

- let's can this and talk about Paris-Nice, ASO vs UCI ? :?