Vinokourov's team is implicated in that Spanish doping scandal. So the TDF organizers may rescind their invitation to the Tour. Oh well.

No Khrazy Khazak this year weenies.

Thats one less contender for the big guns to watch

I seriously feel bad for that guy. First, he is on a team that chases down his breaks and then he may not even start the TdF :mad: . Sux to be him.

Not a done deal yet though....

Not a done deal yet though....

Stick a fork in him boys:

http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news;_ylt=AmMTuALC7femYTGpE3AO_rx.grcF?slug=ap-tourdefrance-astana&prov=ap&type=lgns

It's still not 100% (see below quote from the article) - but if Vino doesn't start it will be at the detriment of the excitement for this year's Tour. I am really looking forward to what he will do this year.

The organizers' requests are not binding but are usually accepted. If a team or rider refuses, the organizers would need backing from CAS or the International Cycling Union to exclude them.

Active Bay, the company that manages Astana-Wurth, said in a statement that it "shows its objection" to the tour's request by appealing to CAS. The company said it hoped for a quick decision.

The tribunal should rule Wednesday or Thursday, probably leaving too little time for Astana-Wurth cyclists to change teams if their squad is forced out, Desplats said.

Stick a fork in him boys:

http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news;_ylt=AmMTuALC7femYTGpE3AO_rx.grcF?slug=ap-tourdefrance-astana&prov=ap&type=lgns

I seriously feel bad for that guy. First, he is on a team that chases down his breaks and then he may not even start the TdF :mad: . Sux to be him.

If he has not been doping, but is excluded due to the actions of his teammates, I would feel very badly for him. If he has been deliberately doping all along, I'd feel bad if he didn't get a good swift kick in the ass.

I don't think anyone has implicated him in the scandal - he just happend to pick the team that is in the center of it all.

If he has not been doping, but is excluded due to the actions of his teammates, I would feel very badly for him. If he has been deliberately doping all along, I'd feel bad if he didn't get a good swift kick in the ass.

Rumors late last week is Vino was talking to other teams so he can race if Wurth are not allowed to start. I don't know when rosters have to be finalized. Maybe time has ran out.

Looks like the fight continues - but should be decided by Friday - http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/10153.0.html

Very sad for Vino and the Tour if he doesn't get to start. Just picked a bad team. He's one of the only ones with the courage and talent to attack and make things happen - never fearful of trying. The rest of the GC contenders are just watching wheels most of the time, actually racing each other for 20 of 2000 miles, plus the TTs.

but he attacks and cant make it stick and makes incredibly poor choices of when he does attack, fun to watch sure, but stupid many times too

dunno know how many times Ive watched him attack and even pass his own teammate then blow up and get reeled right back in, recovers, and does it again.........shooting bullets is fine, but its only good if it takes someone out, been some hill climbs where he's been ignored because of it, Ive never seen him as a contender for the number one podium spot, maybe 2nd or 3rd at best due to attrition

That's because you've never seen him riding as the sole team leader with a good team to protect him. That was his plan for the next few years. Unfortunately he had to get caught up in all this BS.

Ive never seen him as a contender for the number one podium spot, maybe 2nd or 3rd at best due to attrition