BREAKING NEWS: ASTANA & HIGH ROAD BANNED FROM GIRO !!!!

whiteboytrash

MILAN, Italy: High-profile teams Astana and High Road were denied admission to the Giro d'Italia on Friday after a series of doping cases.

Defending Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, Levi Leipheimer and Andreas Kloeden ride for Astana and American cyclist George Hincapie is with High Road, which was formerly T-Mobile.

Race organizers announced an entry list of 21 teams with nine riders each.

All riders will be required to present a biological passport to enter the race which begins in 100 days on May 10, and finishes June 1.

Organizers said they retained the right to withdraw invitations "at any moment" and the selection criteria included "ethics, quality, internationalism and relationship history with (organizer) RCS Sport."

Astana withdrew from last year's Tour after top rider Alexandre Vinokourov tested positive for a banned blood transfusion. The team was also denied an invitation to the Spanish Vuelta.
Deutsche Telekom pulled its sponsorship of High Road in November after former rider Patrik Sinkewitz testified that doping was widespread at the team, both before and after Jan Ullrich was its main star.

Ullrich won the Tour de France in 1997. He retired after being linked to the Spanish doping scandal Operation Puerto but has denied any wrongdoing.

Sinkewitz was fired after testing positive before last year's Tour.

Other former Telekom riders have admitted taking performance-enhancing drugs, including 1996 Tour de France champion Bjarne Riis.

Of the 34 teams that applied, Acqua & Sapone — which features 2000 Giro winner Stefano Garzelli — was also denied entry.

Among the top teams led by Italian riders, invites went to Diquigiovanni-Androni with two-time Giro winner Gilberto Simoni, Lampre with 2004 champion Damiano Cunego and LPR with last year's winner Danilo Di Luca and two-time champion Paolo Savoldelli.

Di Luca was recently banned for three months for dealing with a doctor accused of doping practices.

The top foreign teams include Caisse D'Epargne (Spain), Cofidis (France), Gerolsteiner (Germany), Quick Step (Belgium), Rabobank (Netherlands), Slipstream (United States) and Team CSC (Denmark).

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Teams: AG2R-La Mondiale, Barloworld, Caisse D'Epargne, Cofidis, Csf Group-Navigare, Diquigiovanni-Androni, Euskaltel Euskadi, Francaise des Jeux, Gerolsteiner, Lampre, Liquigas, LPR Brakes, NGC Medical-OTC, Quick Step, Rabobank, Saunier Duval-Scott, Silence-Lotto, Slipstream, Team CSC, Team Milram, Tinkoff Credit System.

whiteboytrash

Vaughters 1 Armstrong 0

helmutRoole2

This doesn't bode well for the Tour.

__________________
"Bait in 08" --nns1400

TheDarkLord

Why do you say so? Isn't it better to not invite teams who don't even pretend to fight doping?

Bro Deal

Yup. Freaking hilarious.

Barloworld will be there, so it will be cool to see Soler in action.

__________________
"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

poulidor

Contadope is for an automatical invitation of the last TDF winner !

helmutRoole2

I mean to say, it doesn't bode well for Astana and Team High Road reference the Tour.

Both those teams have recent histories of doping violations and it's the race organizer's prerogative to punish them for it.

I think the Tour will follow suit. And if they do, then all ASO races likely will. Those teams might be dead in the water.

__________________
"Bait in 08" --nns1400

Bro Deal

Is the UCI going to shit over this? They said the Giro and Vuelta don't have to invite all the teams but there are four left out if I count right.

__________________
"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

Bro Deal

I don't recall the ASO ever saying that--at least not in the English speaking press. Is that true: They automatically invite last year's winner?

__________________
"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

helmutRoole2

I think you have to give Armstrong some credit for getting out when he did. He saw this coming. It's looking like Astana flushed a lot of loot down the toilet.

__________________
"Bait in 08" --nns1400

Andrija

Except for the team image, they won't be much concerned about this... The Giro isn't the race these teams are targeting. They can be even pleased with this decision from preparation point of view.
But it's strong message from RCS. And ASO should follow them, then they'll be very much concerned and that would be sign of new attitude in fight against doping.

__________________
"Soldiers! Heroes!

The supreme command has erased our regiment from its records. Our regiment has been sacrificed for the honor of Belgrade and the Fatherland. Therefore, you no longer have to worry for your lives - they do not exist anymore.
So, forward to glory! For King and country! Long live the king! Long live Belgrade! "

TheDarkLord

It is just wishful thinking of Contador. He just said that ideally the previous year's winner should be there to defend the jersey. Don't think this is an official policy of ASO.

Bro Deal

If the Giro excluding Astana is not enough for the ASO, all it will take is the investigation into Contadope finding the hint of anything, just a little mud, and Astana will be gone. The ASO have been signalling they will ban teams.

I also find it hard to believe that the RCS and ASO have not discussed this. They have been working together to battle the UCI.

__________________
"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

helmutRoole2

Yes, exactly. I think this serves two purposes. It's a fuck you to the UCI and a PR move against doping.

__________________
"Bait in 08" --nns1400