Pro Tour is dead!
07-15-08, 09:46 AM
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Pro Tour is dead!
Dang! Pat McQuaid must be sh*tting a brick house right now. No more gravy train. I always thought it was a mistake getting rid of the World Cup.
The UCI's ProTour series appears to be officially dead after all 17 teams at the Tour de France decided to leave the series and not renew their licences next season.
"It has been decided unanimously not to renew the ProTour licences for the 2009 season," read a joint statement from the teams.
The teams met Tuesday in Pau during the Tour's first rest day and indicated that they would form a new alliance with the three Grand Tour organisers Amaury Sport Organisation, RCS Sport and Unipublic. "The teams are working to develop a new system of organisation of professional cycling," the statement added.
The only ProTour team not present at the Tour de France, Astana, is also expected to leave the ProTour. "If everybody decides so, I can't imagine Astana will not follow," Astana chief press officer Philippe Maertens told Reuters.
UCI President Pat McQuaid told Reuters that all the teams could face exclusion from the UCI. "We'll deal with that according to the regulations," said McQuaid. "They face exclusion from the international federation. It is something we are going to discuss."
"It has been decided unanimously not to renew the ProTour licences for the 2009 season," read a joint statement from the teams.
The teams met Tuesday in Pau during the Tour's first rest day and indicated that they would form a new alliance with the three Grand Tour organisers Amaury Sport Organisation, RCS Sport and Unipublic. "The teams are working to develop a new system of organisation of professional cycling," the statement added.
The only ProTour team not present at the Tour de France, Astana, is also expected to leave the ProTour. "If everybody decides so, I can't imagine Astana will not follow," Astana chief press officer Philippe Maertens told Reuters.
UCI President Pat McQuaid told Reuters that all the teams could face exclusion from the UCI. "We'll deal with that according to the regulations," said McQuaid. "They face exclusion from the international federation. It is something we are going to discuss."
07-15-08, 09:55 AM
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I guess the teams can hire whoever they damn well feel like now.
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John
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07-15-08, 10:03 AM
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The ProTour was a good idea, but it was really badly executed.
McQuaid can go urinate up a rope.
McQuaid can go urinate up a rope.
07-15-08, 10:18 AM
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Wow. I wonder what the national federations are going to do? How will this affect worlds? How will it affect races not put on by ASO? Just wow.
07-15-08, 10:18 AM
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UCI President Pat McQuaid told Reuters that all the teams could face exclusion from the UCI. "We'll deal with that according to the regulations," said McQuaid. "They face exclusion from the international federation. It is something we are going to discuss."
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07-15-08, 10:26 AM
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and if he does that the UCI will consist of Rock Racing and the budget-less teams Joe Papp rode for.
07-15-08, 10:46 AM
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I'm willing to start my own team, consisting completely of BF also-rans.
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07-15-08, 10:46 AM
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Hoo boy. The UCI is really up a creek, now. This isn't good at all; I really do think that international cycling needs the UCI. The formation of a new regulatory body is not going to go well, and this will only get worse. And yes, the ProTour as executed was pretty bad, with the expansion to other territories in lieu of including the Grand Tours being a particularly bad idea. For the ProTour to work, it needs the Grand Tours and it needs to remain in Western Europe for the forseeable future. It's pretty clear that the teams and sponsors think that a more global ProTour will be bad for the bottom line, and that's what drives this sport. ASO pisses me off, but I think that the UCI needs to revert crisis *ss-kissing mode. Either that, or face the consequences.
07-15-08, 10:49 AM
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07-15-08, 11:21 AM
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I doubt that, ASO is going to control most of the big races, including the Vuelta, they are more likely to not invite a team than the UCI. Look for LiquiGas to be uninvited to most ASO races next season due to Basso's hire.
07-15-08, 11:56 AM
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07-15-08, 12:12 PM
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botto
PCad
Chipcom
Lazyrider
Euro
Cypress
55/Rad
Dr. Pete
WHOOOSH
And of course, Ryanf could tag along as the soigneur.
You coud probably get a reality show on MTV.
07-15-08, 12:17 PM
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WTF is my role on that team...rolling feed stop?
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"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
07-15-08, 02:34 PM
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I think you mean that the UCI is dead. I can't see them recovering from this. McQuaid should have never let it come to this.
07-15-08, 02:43 PM
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Call me for the head shots and website.
07-15-08, 03:03 PM
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What does this mean for the anti-doping end of things? Will the same procedures be used or is this not even up to them?
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07-15-08, 03:19 PM
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What a mess. I shouldn't have been surprised though, given all the bluster and nonsense issued by McQuaid over Paris-Nice.
I can understand why he wants to promote ProTour, but the bottom line is that you can't bludgeon teams into staying in a cycling league. Threats to punish the teams is only going to make things worse for the UCI.
Nothing yet, until / unless the actual races start to pull out of the UCI. In that case, it'd be like the Tour this year: anti-doping procedures will be the responsibility of the national federations, who in turn happen to adhere to the WADA code.
I can understand why he wants to promote ProTour, but the bottom line is that you can't bludgeon teams into staying in a cycling league. Threats to punish the teams is only going to make things worse for the UCI.
Nothing yet, until / unless the actual races start to pull out of the UCI. In that case, it'd be like the Tour this year: anti-doping procedures will be the responsibility of the national federations, who in turn happen to adhere to the WADA code.
07-15-08, 03:31 PM
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07-15-08, 04:01 PM
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07-15-08, 04:06 PM
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You're hired.
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07-15-08, 04:54 PM
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I'm in. As long as Dr. Ferrari is the team medical consultant.
07-16-08, 03:45 AM
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The really hurts for a lot of the smaller classics events that won't have the same draw anymore if the pro tour teams arent required to attend.