T
Tony Raven
Guest
http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme/breves2007/20070727_195007Dev.html
Prudhomme breaks with the UCI
The fire's still smouldering between the Tour de France and the
International Cycling Union. The point of no return may have been
reached Friday by Christian Prudhomme, who declared to the German
newspaper, the Süddeutsche Zeitung, in a story appearing Saturday, that
he did not want to work with the international federation any longer.
"There is an international cycling organization, but with all due
respect, it's worthless," fired off the director of the Tour de France.
"How can one continue to believe in the UCI? It didn't, for example,
apply its own rule 220, which says that a rider who has missed a doping
test before one of the big Tours is excluded from it. The UCI never
wanted this Tour to be clean. But next year, there will be a potentially
clean Tour."
To do this, Christian Prudhomme stated that he wanted to change partners
for coming Tours. "Next year we are going to work hand-in-hand with the
World Antidoping Agency and the French Agency for the Fight Against
Doping." Moreover, and contrary to Pat McQuaid, president of the UCI,
the Tour de France director said he was in favor of the doping summit
proposed by the president of WADA, **** Pound. "Mr. Pound, it can be
whenever and wherever you want. But it will be better without the UCI."
Prudhomme breaks with the UCI
The fire's still smouldering between the Tour de France and the
International Cycling Union. The point of no return may have been
reached Friday by Christian Prudhomme, who declared to the German
newspaper, the Süddeutsche Zeitung, in a story appearing Saturday, that
he did not want to work with the international federation any longer.
"There is an international cycling organization, but with all due
respect, it's worthless," fired off the director of the Tour de France.
"How can one continue to believe in the UCI? It didn't, for example,
apply its own rule 220, which says that a rider who has missed a doping
test before one of the big Tours is excluded from it. The UCI never
wanted this Tour to be clean. But next year, there will be a potentially
clean Tour."
To do this, Christian Prudhomme stated that he wanted to change partners
for coming Tours. "Next year we are going to work hand-in-hand with the
World Antidoping Agency and the French Agency for the Fight Against
Doping." Moreover, and contrary to Pat McQuaid, president of the UCI,
the Tour de France director said he was in favor of the doping summit
proposed by the president of WADA, **** Pound. "Mr. Pound, it can be
whenever and wherever you want. But it will be better without the UCI."
