UCI wants teams to boycott Paris-Nice

[Cobblestones]

I don't see how UCI could punish 160 riders ! That punishment will just show UCI incompetence to resolve the problem and sink deeper to a bigger problem.

Is UCI pushing to boycott all ASO events (including the TdF) or only PN? If it's only PN, then I can see it working to some degree with some teams (not the French teams obviously). If UCI expects teams to boycott the TdF, then, I think, they'll just dig their own grave.

 

[poulidor]

Is UCI pushing to boycott all ASO events (including the TdF) or only PN? If it's only PN, then I can see it working to some degree with some teams (not the French teams obviously). If UCI expects teams to
boycott the TdF, then, I think, they'll just dig their own grave.

For me with that stupid threat against people (riders and sponsors) taken inside the battle, they have dug their grave.

Just for Paris Nice but Paris-Roubaix is still not on UCI calendar !

 

[Cobblestones]

For me with that stupid threat against people (riders and sponsors) taken inside the battle, they have dug their grave.

Just for Paris Nice but Paris-Roubaix is still not on UCI calendar !

So, there's indication, if the call for boycotting PN resonates with the teams, the next ASO race (PR) might get the same treatment from the UCI? With all the races ASO has bought (did they see this **** coming) compared to the UCI races which are the olympics (a joke mostly since riders follow team affiliations) and the world's (that one might hurt a bit), is there any doubt which side the teams will choose?

 

[stilesiii]

The riders need a formal Union. In the history of cycling I think, the riders (especially the domestiques) were treated like slave hands. The riders need to unite for themselves. No one in the system is going to support elevating them to have more say.

Finally, someone hits the nail on the head!

It is way past time for the peleton to step forward and unite. I cannot understand why these professional riders continue to let all these organizations dictate the rules. Does anyone watch the TDF to see UCI or ASO officials. The draw is the riders. The riders hold all the cards. This is a profession not ametuer competitions. These guys are trying to earn a living. I think they should look at professional golf's player's union as a model.

A rider's union could set up retirement benefits, medical benefits, doping protocols, sanctions, negotiations with event organizers, ect, ect.

If the olympics and worlds want a different standard, than let the riders interested in those events meet those standards.

The olympics, wada, ect, does not dictate NBA, MLB policy. Those policies are agreed to by the NBA and the NBA player's union. SAme for MLB.

 

[poulidor]

I think riders could say that they will not race world championship which are under UCI responsability... and eventually JO too...

 

[whiteboytrash]

http://assets.rug.be/img_art/site/images/31413BE4-90E5-4751-ACF5-BEA31F72280A.pdf

 

[Powerful Pete]

That letter is astonishing.

I say that the UCI threat will be ignored. No team/rider will risk exclusion from ASO and RCS races to side with Pat.

 

[poulidor]

McQuaid is making a smokescreen nad his transferring his dream on ASO.

He should know that a race on road needs an agreement of authority. ASO as organiser is dependant of french governemnt for french race and of Belgian for FL or LBL...
So an organiser could never have a real power, their business should stay in agreement with the governements.
The only threat on UCI is UCI themeself who can tired the governemnt...

Even the french communist leader Buffet has taken a strong position against UCI remembering the UCI's lack of will to protect riders' health. Miss Buffet was minister of sport from 97 to 2002, and launched the doping fight after Festina.

 

[poulidor]

McQuaid defeated?
http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme/20080305_170415Dev.html

The end of the conflict has not yet been interviewed, but the UCI did on Wednesday night, a step toward easing its position in the conflict between ASO. If the question of Paris-Nice has not been resolved, the International Cycling Union has said however prepared to revise the rule of automatic participation in the ProTour teams in the Tour de France. But this was one of two crucial, raised Tuesday by ASO to explain the conflict. The other was, of course, the status of Paris-Nice.

This openness initiated by the UCI occurred while the president of the Economic Interest Grouping teams (CPI), Patrick Lefevere, appealed to both sides and suggested a middle ground. In its response to the appeal sent Wednesday, Pat McQuaid (Photo Archive L'Equipe) wrote: "Let me remind you that this rule was introduced in September 2007 at the request of the AIGCP (International Association of teams). The UCI has adopted this rule is justified and which protects the legitimate interests of the teams in question and their sponsors. If now the teams themselves would waive their right of participation in the Tour de France or whether they would be able to refuse an invitation to the Tour (...), they must make it clear to the UCI. "

Pat McQuaid concludes his letter: "If the settlement is upheld (...) and if the AIGCP sent to the UCI teams a request to revise the rule in question, the UCI is prepared to carry out such an revision on the basis of proposals made to him. "

 

[poulidor]

Gilbert will be on Paris-Nice with Casar.

La formation Française des Jeux qui courra Paris-Nice du 9 au 16 mars, sera emmenée par le récent vainqueur du Het Volk, Philippe Gilbert. Le Belge sera épaulé par Sandy Casar et Rémy Di Gregorio. Le directeur sportif de l'équipe, Marc Madiot, a indiqué qu'il visait surtout une victoire d'étape. «Le classement général ? on fera le bilan au soir de l'étape du Ventoux, a-t-il dit mercredi. Casar ? il n'a pas beaucoup couru mais il est plutôt bien, mieux que ce qu'il pense lui-même».

L'équipe Française des Jeux à Paris-Nice:
Sandy Casar (FRA), Mickaël Cherel (FRA), Rémy Di Grégorio (FRA), Philippe Gilbert (BEL), Lilian Jégou (FRA), Yoann Le Boulanger (FRA), Jelle Vanendert (BEL), Benoît Vaugrenard (FRA). ( AFP)

 

[TheDarkLord]

I thought the UCI had independent labs doing it as well?

Yes, but the labs don't know whose sample they are testing, right? If they come up with a positive, all they know is that they have a positive test. I thought they are not supposed to know who tested positive - hence it is easy to cover-up a result if needed as only UCI knows whose sample tested positive. Of course, that doesn't explain how the French lab leaks results.

 

[doctorSpoc]

Gilbert will be on Paris-Nice with Casar.

Madiot: I do not want Gilbert suspended



The threats of the UCI to sanction any rider, who takes part in Paris-Nice, may have claimed their first casualty according to Sport Wereld.

Marc Madiot, sports director of French squad La Française des Jeux has expressed concern about sending his star rider and recent winner of Het Volk to the week long stage race in France. "I do not want my team leader suspended," he said. "If necessary we will start with eight French nationals in a race that is now part of the French calendar. Gilbert will ride Tirreno-Adriatico instead. I still have to talk with him about this."

 

[bannerrefugee]

Hi and howdy do-ody.
I'm a union man
You can call me Pat-ti.
Any of you boys not paid up on your cards?

You know I'm pleased to meet ya
Been tryin all day to reach ya
The union's here to help everyone of you cyi ki lin stars!
cyi ki lin stars!

cough cough
You always know we care so much
about the way they race ya.
They say they got a lot of reasons every day..
cough cough

Just to get a chance to meet you.
To check and see no wrong been done
That's one good reason I carry a gun

edited Zappa if you care

 

[Bro Deal]

Racejunkie rates the players:

http://racejunkie.blogspot.com/2008/03/no-more-mr-paris-nice-guy.html

 

[TheDarkLord]

Racejunkie rates the players:

http://racejunkie.blogspot.com/2008/03/no-more-mr-paris-nice-guy.html

That was brutal, but beautiful!

 

[Lucy 7]

My first thought was "accurate".

 

[TheDarkLord]

Just found this on CNN: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/03/09/cycling.france.ap/index.html?eref=rss_latest

AMILLY, France (AP) -- Riders started the Paris-Nice race Sunday despite threats of sanctions from cycling's governing body.

Thierry Hupond of the Skil-Shimano team was the first of 160 riders to start the 4.6-kilometer (2.9-mile) prologue around Amilly, about one hour from Paris. UCI president Pat McQuaid has urged riders to boycott the season's first major stage race, calling it "illegal" because the race owners -- the Amaury Sport Organization -- are holding it independently under French laws and outside UCI rules.

McQuaid has threatened teams with six-month suspensions, fines of up to 10,000 Swiss francs ($9,700, euro6,380) and bans from the track world championships later this month, which would affect cyclists still to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.

The race finishes in the southern city of Nice on March 16.

<Full story in link posted above>

 

[cyclingheroes]

Just found this on CNN: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/03/09/cycling.france.ap/index.html?eref=rss_latest

AMILLY, France (AP) -- Riders started the Paris-Nice race Sunday despite threats of sanctions from cycling's governing body.

Thierry Hupond of the Skil-Shimano team was the first of 160 riders to start the 4.6-kilometer (2.9-mile) prologue around Amilly, about one hour from Paris. UCI president Pat McQuaid has urged riders to boycott the season's first major stage race, calling it "illegal" because the race owners -- the Amaury Sport Organization -- are holding it independently under French laws and outside UCI rules.

McQuaid has threatened teams with six-month suspensions, fines of up to 10,000 Swiss francs ($9,700, euro6,380) and bans from the track world championships later this month, which would affect cyclists still to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.

The race finishes in the southern city of Nice on March 16.

<Full story in link posted above>

Thats old news...

 

[TheDarkLord]

Thats old news...

Sorry, I just saw it now.

 

[cyclingheroes]

Sorry, I just saw it now.

You can download the letter from McQuaid to the riders (where he threatens them with the ban and the fine) here:

http://www.cyclingheroes.info/id1315.html

Its at the bottom of the page (pdf file)