"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Final Division 1 team lineup

Kelme, Domina Vacanze out of Division I

The UCI and the Professional Cycling Council (PCC) announced Friday the final Division I team registrations for 2004, which notably do not include Kelme and Domina Vacanze. The final three teams to complete the required documentation for Division I were US Postal Service-Berry Floor, Alessio-Bianchi, and Milaneza Maia. Filling the two vacancies will be Palmans-Collstrop and Relax-Bodysol.

Per UCI regulations, if Domina Vacanze and Kelme can provide meet the conditions necessary to proceed by January 15, they will be granted Division II status.

The full Division I list for 2004:

Ag2R-Prévoyance
Bianchi-Alessio
Bankgiroloterij Cycling Team
Brioches La Boulangère
Crédit Agricole
Chocolade Jacques-Wincor Nixdorf
Cofidis Le Crédit par Téléphone
Team CSC
De Nardi
Euskaltel-Euskadi
Fassa Bortolo
FDJeux.com
Gerolsteiner
Illes Balears-Banesto
Lampre
Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
Lotto-Domo
Liberty Seguros
Milaneza Maia
Palmans-Collstrop
Phonak Hearing Systems
Quick.Step-Davitamon
Rabobank
RAGT Semences-MG Rover
Relax-Bodysol
Saeco Macchine per Caffe
Saunier Duval-Prodir
T-Mobile
US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie

opps Laggard you beat me by one minute!

First time I ever outsprinted anyone!

This is fairly huge news.

I wonder if Kelme might be at their end? I'm guessing this would make the Kelme and Domina riders want to jump ship as soon as possible? (their top riders, atleast)

I'm guessing that Giovanni Lombardi is elated that he left Domina for Fassa Bortolo. Not only does he get to race division I but he's out of Cipos shadow. Then again, he's now under the shadow of Petacchi.

Good to see Palmans-Collstrop make Div1. I think this will be Roger Hammond's first year on a Div1 team.

Can div. 2 teams be invited to HC, world cup, or grand tour races?

Can div. 2 teams be invited to HC, world cup, or grand tour races?

Yes, Div2 teams are routinely invited to HC, WC races, and 2 of the Grand Tours, the Giro and the Vuelta. Especially if the team is from the country the race is in. Rarely do they get invited to the TDF. Palmans-Collstrop is a regular participant in the Belgian Classics.

Here is a photog of Erwin Thijs during his 210km break, of which 80km was solo, in the Tour of Flanders:

Here is a photog of Collstrop-Palmans rider Herman Van Dyck with Fred Rodriguez in the 2002 Ghent-Wevelgem race when he finished in a break with Mario Cipollini, George Hincapie, and Fred. Mario won the sprint.

Here is a photog of Felix Cardenas from the Div2 team Labarca. He won the KOM competition in the 2003 Tour of Spain.

Domina was a Division II team last year anyways.

I believe the Belgian rider, pictured above, riding with Fred Rodriguez, is Hendrik Van Dyck.

Kelme has provided the sport with longevity and the greatest stage-race entertainers of our time. Let us hope this never ends.

I believe the Belgian rider, pictured above, riding with Fred Rodriguez, is Hendrik Van Dyck.

Correction acknowledged. :) I was trying to hard to spell his last name right, and overlooked his first.

Does anyone know where I could find a list of confirmed and possible riders for all them thar teams? I just found out the Tyler is off CSC (must pay more attention), and I find myself wondering who else has gone where.

Does anyone know where I could find a list of confirmed and possible riders for all them thar teams? I just found out the Tyler is off CSC (must pay more attention), and I find myself wondering who else has gone where.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/?id=2003/transfers03

Those were the transfers, and here's the 2004 Teams Database (http://www.cyclingnews.com/results/2004/teams2004/teams2004.shtml), from cyclingnews.

You missed Hamilton's jump to Phonak? Surely we don't need to tell you about Jan's whereabouts...

.....

Surely we don't need to tell you about Jan's whereabouts...

Taking ex and hanging out with German supermodels?

Taking ex and hanging out with German supermodels?

Haa! I knew he must've had a good reason to miss training... but T-Mobile called it "influenza". :rolleyes:

Valencia (government of) has indicated that they will step in and support the Kelme team if necessary in order to keep the members employed.

Cheers...Gary

...from www.cyclingnews.com

The embattled Kelme team should be able to continue and race in Division II this year, after a rescue package has been put together by the Generalitat Valenciana and Kelme management. Valencia's secretary of Culture, Education and Sport, Esteban González Pons, and Kelme team manager Pepe Quiles signed an agreement on Thursday which will ensure the future of the team. The Generalitat Valenciana will contribute €1.8 million as the main sponsor and the team will be known as Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme.

The UCI said that it is unlikely to decide before the end of the week which teams will qualify for Division II.