McQuaid tells the ASO to follow the rules or get out the UCI

Bro Deal

The feud started as soon as the ProTour was announced. Below is a list of all cyclingnews articles about the feud. Note that the organizers were up in arms at the beginning of 2004.

http://www.cyclingnews.net/news.php...affair_complete

__________________
"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

TheDarkLord

Ok, if Unibet was aware of the power struggle when they were getting into pro-cycling, I guess you are right - they took a gamble and lost. But still, I wonder to what extent their exclusion is purely a UCI vs ASO fight, as opposed to a more political fight against Unibet itself.

Bro Deal

The gamling issue always seemed like a convenient means for the ASO to get rid of Unibet, but there were those organizers who were arrested in early 2006 for allowing Unibet to race. I am sure that if Unibet were in a different business, the result still would have been the same. The other GTs also banned the team and their countries don't have the french issues.

__________________
"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

cyclingheroes

No difference for the law, advertisement for private gambling is prohibited. There is advertisement for private gambling on the AC Milan jerseys.

Anyway what I wanted to point out is that its not Unibets fault that the UCI sold them a license which guaranteed the team a RIGHT to start at the GT's, its the UCI who sold them something which was worth nothing. They will get trouble with other teams now as well. My sources say that some teams are consulting lawyers because they paid for a license and now some of them cannot start at all GT's.

The fight between the UCI and the Grand Tour organisers does not change the fact that these teams paid for a license which is worth nothing now.

@Cranky Its not always easy but I love the sport. But yes.... there has to be a solution soon, the ongoing problems are tiring...

__________________
Cycling news, picture galleries & live coverage


www.cyclingheroes.info

Bro Deal

That is the point I was making about the money and why the UCI is insisting that the TdF give the PT teams an invite. The TdF invite was always the big prize that joining the PT would bring. The teams won't be happy about not being invited to the Giro or other races, but if they don't get invited to the TdF then some are likely to sue. I think that is what is behind the UCI treating the TdF differently than the other two GTs.

__________________
"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

Crankyfeet

Well... unfortunately for us...there aren't more people like you running things. As is often the case... the people that rise to the top politically are those with the biggest egos... who are really in it for their own self-aggrandizement, more than their love of the sport. Not always the case... but often is sadly.

__________________

Crankyfeet

Yes...and if ASO want to take down the UCI... they are going to take down sponsorship and pro cycling with it IMO.

__________________

Bro Deal

What the ASO and the other GTs should have done is anounced clear criteria for the fourteen or sixteen invites, maybe with the caveat that they reserve the right to not invite a team based on past doping history or devotion to the fight against doping.

By not having any criteria they have made the invitation process confusing.

__________________
"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

BeamMeUpScotty

They are French; they are lazy. You expect them to work hard enough to put together criteria? Why do that when arbitrary decisions leave much more time for naps and wine?

__________________
I like little butts and I cannot lie

cyclingheroes

Maybe but not necessarily. But there are only two options, either an agreement where all parties can live with or a clear cut.

__________________
Cycling news, picture galleries & live coverage


www.cyclingheroes.info

TheDarkLord

Go play somewhere else BMUS (or should I shorten that to just BS?). This is not a place for kids.

Bro Deal

I don't see how there can be an agreement. The UCI has created the facts to make an agreement impossible. They had the opportunity to get rid of three PT teams for this season. This would have put them close to the sixteen that the GTs wanted. Instead they okayed Astana again, leaving us with eighteen teams.

With McQuaid talking about how ASO needs to accept the PT rules or leave the UCI then situation looks to get much worse.

__________________
"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

TheDarkLord

Don't think so. And I don't really know why you are repeatedly defending UCI (ok, not directly, but still...). There may be a period of chaos if the conflict continues, but I think TdF is famous enough to weather the storm.

Crankyfeet

The team managements, cyclists and sponsors should be at that meeting. They need a bigger voice.

__________________