how many teams in this years' tdf? only twenty?

[aaronzhang]

i found that there are only 20 pro tour teams this year, so i guess there are only 20 teams in this year's tdf. is that right?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/results/2005/teams2005/teams2005.shtml

[giantcfr1]

i found that there are only 20 pro tour teams this year, so i guess there are only 20 teams in this year's tdf. is that right?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/results/2005/teams2005/teams2005.shtml
csc
phonak
Lib seg-Wurth
t mob
discov
quickst
bouyg tel
lampre
illes bal-cai d
rabo
davit
fass
saunier
cred agr
cofid
liquigas
gerolst
fran des jeu
eusk
domin
ag2r
maybe 21?

[Laggard]

AG2R got a wildcard.

[aaronzhang]

what's a wildcard? a special permission to be in the race?

[Smoothie104]

pretty much, its basically a loophole to allow a couple more french teams in.

[gmason]

There were always a couple of (a few?) wildcards allowed in the rules prior to the Pro Tour. The big hassle every year was that LeBlanc seemingly selected only the best of the rest. The rules said something akin to selection based on sporting merit, which always seemed to fit French teams in the vast majority of cases. :rolleyes:

The UCI rules are interesting. There has been one for at least the last few years before now that says that the nationality of an elite team was to be determined by the nationality of the majority of the riders registered on the team. We have had discussions here before about that, and it seems clear that this rule was not applied, but it was still there.

[Samtron]

yea theres 21 teams this year. 189 riders, 9 riders per team.

[skinnyone]

Wildcards are cool.. They have nothing to lose and they give it all.. Goran won Wimbledon as a wildcard...

[gmason]

In fact, there could have been another wildcard to make 22 teams. In the end, neither of the likely candidates - R.A.G.T. Semences and Agritubel as I recall - were considered to have been successful enough to be chosen.

Quite an unexpected decision, given J-M Le Blanc's tendency in the past to load up with French teams.

[ed073]

RAGT has stopped sponsorship coz they missed out.

No Tour, no money.

[gmason]

RAGT has stopped sponsorship coz they missed out.

No Tour, no money.
Unfortunately, that is one of the side effects of the Pro Tour. In the old days, selection - by the GT organizers in particular - gave many smaller teams the opportunity to race for big exposure in their own countries. Now, 20 of the 22 teams in the TdF for example, must be the 20 in the Pro Tour.

Illes Ballears is another that may have been chased away by the Pro Tour. Next year they are sponsoring a basketball team from Menorca instead of the cycling team. Hopefully the secondary sponsor - Caisse d'Epargne - will take over the main burden.

[97 Teran]

In fact, there could have been another wildcard to make 22 teams. In the end, neither of the likely candidates - R.A.G.T. Semences and Agritubel as I recall - were considered to have been successful enough to be chosen.

Quite an unexpected decision, given J-M Le Blanc's tendency in the past to load up with French teams.

I know you're not being overly critical, but (in past years) having 6 French teams out of 22 is hardly loading up. Perhaps there have even been 7, but I don't think that makes a signif. difference. And while no one can argue that there isn't usually at least one or two other teams (usu. from Italy) that may be better than the last couple French teams chosen, this is a French race after all. Does the US participate in the Five Nations? Do Japanese teams participate in the World Series? The only truly "world" events are the various World Championships, and the World Cup. Oh, and the Olympics... which for most professional sports is second tier at best.

Simply put, there is no "World" stage race. It's not fair to expect the TdF to serve that function to the letter, even though in many important ways it does.

[gmason]

I know you're not being overly critical
You got that part right. The facts are that French teams were selected overwhelmingly when the opportunity - written into the regs, I might add - allowed it. Why not? It is a French race after all, as you acknowledge. And it would have happened again this year. AG2R made it, and the two who did not are also French.

I live here - I don't have a problem with that. :D