"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Team Coast Suspended

I'm just shocked (www.cyclingnews.com/news/id?=2003/mar03/mar06news3)

I still can't believe this whole thing...guess that Jan's check didn't cash after all...

riders can finish Murcia, then they are done...

but it's all a paperwork snafu...yeah, right:rolleyes:

Dead link. :confused:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/?id=2003/mar03/mar07news2

I followed the news since yesterday and it all sounds a bit weird. The coast licence was given with the reservation that they give evidence for all payments until the fifth of each month. The team owner Dahms declared yesterday, that the UCI didn't accept the remittance receipts and wanted to have a copy of the Coast bank statements. But they are located in the Rhine area (Essen) and there is no way to do any business on Shrove Tuesday or the day before (3rd and 4th of march) because of the carnival celebrations. Dahms said today that on Monday the proof for the regular payment will be given to the UCI and then the suspension will be revoked.
My opinion, and that is not only because I'm German, is that the estimated financial difficulties of Team Coast will break their neck in the nearer future, if no co-sponsor will be found (and they were looking for one for a long time). One could read rumours today that, even if the the suspension will be revoked, the team won't be able to recover and that Ullrich is looking for a new team.

more (www.cyclingnews.com/news/?id=2003/mar03/mar08news)

What I find fascinating is the shock factor...they have unpaid bills reported by folks that are owned money (hotels and the like) according to press reports, riders who are owed money...it looks like the whole deal was hinging on another sponsor...which is why CSC didn't sign Jan, because they needed more money.

Originally posted by badorties
One could read rumours today that, even if the the suspension will be revoked, the team won't be able to recover and that Ullrich is looking for a new team.
After the pay scandels last year, and having them begin again so soon this year, it's hard to imagine why anyone good enough to have some options would want to choose Coast.

Frankly, I'm glad UCI is imposing the suspension. It seems to me that the individual riders are fairly powerless in these types of situations. The UCI sanctions should serve notice that teams and sponsors can't get away with welching on salary payments.

roadbuzz,
I agree with you fully, what the situation of the individual drivers concerns. As a German I'm a bit biased, cos' having (had) three GS1 teams in Germany this season, would have made things a lot better, as cyclism is not the most favourite sports over here. There was some kind of attention for cyclism, when Thurau had the yellow jersey in the TDF and maybe a little with Gregor Braun, but there is an upcoming interest since the major successes of Zabel and Ullrich in the last few years. It was all reduced to one team (Telekom) and now there was a chance for Gerolsteiner and Coast to share a little of the cake. And one should think of the enormous involvement of Mr Dahms from Caost over the last few years, who, as a cycling fan, dreamt of building a (second,at that time) team in Germany. It's more a tragedy than something to get angry over, because the intentions were there of making the sport more popular, but the means (co-sponsors) won't be found until the reporters and journalists will report the sporting events more than the doping discussions. There is a big tradition in France, Spain, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands in cycling, it could have been the possibility for the start of a German one.

Well, I expect the people who really know what's going on aren't telling.
Coast was showing a lot of potential last year, and with the addition of Ullrich, I expected to see some good results from them, and as you indicate, the emergence of a second German team as a major contender. It may still happen (like Kelme last year), but they will probably have to give up Ullrich.

The Suspension was cancelled today.
Coast is "free" again and can start races.
Ullrich seems to be satisfied and will stay at the team. Though, I think behind the scenes he will look after another possibility...

Apparently Ullrich is going to race in the Circuit de la Sarthe in april. I thought he was planning on doing Setmana Catalana, but I guess not. Probably ZUlle or Casero will do that one. Great to see Jan again!

Yes, indeed. Good to see him on the road again...
I´m really interested in what he´s going to achieve this year.