[golgiaparatus]

Well I dont know who if following this stuff but if you are you already know that the ASO made the Paris-Nice a French National event basically stiff arming the UCI... so the UCI issued a letter forbidding its pro tour teams from participating in the race.

Now the ASO has come back and said that Pro tour teams that abandon the race after already committing to attending may be barred from the Tour-De-France, the Giro and the Vuelta.

Thats some serious sh!t there that I don't think the UCI can compete with. I think the UCI is gonna have to fold. They can bluff all they want but the ASO just threw down its cards and said, "Straight Flush… what you got?"

 

[DRB]

Well I dont know who if following this stuff but if you are you already know that the ASO made the Paris-Nice a French National event basically stiff arming the UCI... so the UCI issued a letter forbidding its pro tour teams from participating in the race.

Now the ASO has come back and said that Pro tour teams that abandon the race after already committing to attending may be barred from the Tour-De-France, the Giro and the Vuelta.

Thats some serious sh!t there that I don't think the UCI can compete with. I think the UCI is gonna have to fold. They can bluff all they want but the ASO just threw down its cards and said, "Straight Flush… what you got?"

I don't think they have a straight flush. The UCI still has the teams and the riders. The Tour without the Pro Tour teams would be a joke. The teams have consistently thrown in behind the UCI (minus the French teams). So the UCI certainly still has a pile of cards to use.

 

[golgiaparatus]

I don't think they have a straight flush. The UCI still has the teams and the riders. The Tour without the Pro Tour teams would be a joke. The teams have consistently thrown in behind the UCI (minus the French teams). So the UCI certainly still has a pile of cards to use.

How many riders are going to go along with their teams decision not to ride in the tdf? How many sponsors are going to continue their deals if the tdf is not part of the calendar?

 

[DRB]

How many riders are going to go along with their teams decision not to ride in the tdf? How many sponsors are going to continue their deals if the tdf is not part of the calendar?

The sponsors are of course the bigger worry but many of the current sponsorship deals were based on the Pro Tour idea. So scrapping that they guaranteed exposure is going to go down.

As for the riders, they have contracts with their current teams so they'll do what they are told as long as they are getting paychecks. Plus the UCI controls the Olympics and World Championships which are both important as well.

Flip that around what's the Tour with just continental and French teams?

The ASO certainly isn't holding all the cards.

 

[splat]

The sponsors are of course the bigger worry but many of the current sponsorship deals were based on the Pro Tour idea. So scrapping that they guaranteed exposure is going to go down.

As for the riders, they have contracts with their current teams so they'll do what they are told as long as they are getting paychecks. Plus the UCI controls the Olympics and World Championships which are both important as well.

Flip that around what's the Tour with just continental and French teams?

The ASO certainly isn't holding all the cards.

I disagree, It is not just teh TDF , but then you will have all national teams/Sponsers from Itily about the Giro, and same for the Spansih teams and the Vulta.

lots of sponsers will not be happy , and yes the sponsers signed on to the pro tour idea figuring it garuenteed there place in the TDF, GDI and Vulata.

as for the Olymipics , that is over a yar away and they are not really that Important to the riders after all it was only recently they could participate. andthe world championships . well the importance ther has been waning for the last few years any way

I wouldn't say the ASO is holding all the cards , but niether is the UCI and I feel the ASO has a Better hand .

 

[golgiaparatus]

They are going to have to come to an agreement. But I just cant see that. You have Pat Mcfathead, vs the French Ego Machine. No way will either side give in to the other. Though as much as I hate McAss I think that ASO is to blame here. Its all about letting Unibet race. Whats one more freaking team? What is the big deal? I mean is the ASO influenced heavily by some company that doesn't want Unibet involved? Maybe some other lottery is holding something over their heads, saying, "if you allow Unibet to race, its over for you".

 

[Wumpus]

andthe world championships . well the importance ther has been waning for the last few years any way

How you figure? I doubt you could find a rider that wouldn't want that jersey.



All I know, is they better get their acts together, because this coupled with the doping scandals of late is going to do some serious harm.

 

[DRB]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/mar07/mar03news

ICPT called for a meeting between the two sides, but

The IPCT release suggested the possibility of boycotting races, but says that other measures may be considered in order to protect their position. "Indeed, in the absence of agreement, the members of the IPCT will have to carefully evaluate the legal consequences on all levels (UCI rules, civil responsibility, etc) of a decision taken in one direction or another.

"Moreover, in the event of failure of the attempts at conciliation evoked above, the IPCT reserves the right to protect the interests of its members by the most suitable legal means, in particular at the level of community legislation." It remains to be seen how the UCI and the three Grand Tour organisers will respond to the IPCT decision. Friday's release shows that the teams – who up until now have generally kept out of the conflict – appear be prepared to stand firm together in pushing for a solution to be found.

 

[DRB]

So a temporary resolution:

However clarification is needed with regard to the following long clause mentioned in the release: "Without prejudicing their right to grant wild cards to all other teams of their choice, for the duration of this agreement ASO, RCS and Unipublic will examine in a positive spirit the granting of wild cards to the teams Astana and Unibet, in particular insofar as such decisions are not likely to expose or be likely to expose the organisers to legal consequences, of whatever nature they might be."

The legal consequences certainly regarding Unibet.Com and French advertising laws.

But, and I think that this may have been more the root of the problem then the teams themselves, is the branding issue

"For the remainder of the present convention, ASO, RCS and Unipublic are not obliged - in any manner - to be bound by the concept of the ProTour and its branding, except for the acceptance of the wearing of the jersey corresponding to the leader of the classification. ASO, RCS and Unipublic note that the awarding of the aforementioned jersey will be carried out by other parties away from the protocol of the races."

Specifically this regards the presentation of the ProTour jersey at the GT organizer events.

 

[golgiaparatus]

Sounds like McQuack had to fold.

Grand Tours > UCI Pro Tour

The riders know it, and the public knows it. The teams may like the unity and the organization of the UCI but when push comes to shove they will pick the Tour De France over anything.