Bye-bye Katusha!

[citoyen]

The UCI, in their infinite lack of wisdom, have denied Katusha a Pro Tour licence for 2013. The mind boggles.

Can't say I'll be too sorry if Menchov and a few others fail to find another team to jump to, but Joaquim Rodriguez is one of my favourite riders so I'll be disappointed if we don't get to see him in the big races next year.

d.

[Exit Stage Left]

Perhaps they're clearing the way for Rusvelo to become a Pro-Tour team. That team is similar in its relationship with the national body to the way Sky works.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RusVelo

[citoyen]

I don't really know much about RusVelo, but aren't they effectively the Russian national B team, with Katusha the A team? Most of the top Russian riders are at Katusha, and the team boss, Igor Makarov, is both president of the Russian cycling federation and a member of the UCI management committee. As well as being, by all accounts, a powerful man with lots of friends in high places.

McQuaid is a brave man indeed to make an enemy of Makarov.

d.

[Exit Stage Left]

I see what you mean about friends in high places.

http://inrng.com/2011/12/tinker-tailor-cyclist-spy/

[Tewdric]

I don't really know much about RusVelo, but aren't they effectively the Russian national B team, with Katusha the A team? Most of the top Russian riders are at Katusha, and the team boss, Igor Makarov, is both president of the Russian cycling federation and a member of the UCI management committee. As well as being, by all accounts, a powerful man with lots of friends in high places.

McQuaid is a brave man indeed to make an enemy of Makarov.C

d.

FP knows he's out on his arse next year at the latest and probably just went for the fattest looking brown envelope.

[Nuncio]

Rumoured to be for financial reasons rather than ethical/’sporting’, which is odd, given that the team is backed by a billionaire.  Ekimov being the new manager can’t help their position.

[Pingu]

Katusha out, Saxo Bank (& Contador) in.

[Exit Stage Left]

I see Oleg Tinkoff is now involved with Saxo Bank.
http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/riders/2006/interviews/?id=oleg_tinkoff

[ran doner]

I see Oleg Tinkoff is now involved with Saxo Bank.
http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/riders/2006/interviews/?id=oleg_tinkoff

Tinkoff came in as sponsor pre TdF this year

[andrew_s]

Welcome back, Katusha

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cas-orders-worldtour-licence-for-katusha

So, what happens now?
Saxo get turfed out (or Argos or FDJ)?
Do the UCI choose to run with 19 WT teams? If so, does that mean 1 fewer wildcard team at the giro, tour etc, or are they going to run with an extra team? What about UCI regulations retricting the number of teams?

The UCI have previously said they will turf out one of the other teams, but with Fat Pat's history that means nothing.

[tiermat]

I don't think FDJ would get booted, they have been about for so long there would be an uproar from the French public.

Argos may go </random prediction>.

Of course part of this is caused by Lotto/Predictor (or whatever pharmaceutical product the company wants to promote this year) splitting into two teams.

The sensible thing would be, though, to have an extra team for this year, with a "Devil takes the hindmost" view of who gets booted for next year's season.  Could make the racing more interesting as team orders will be more important than just one person getting a win.

[citoyen]

If Argos go, that's Kittel out, which would be a bad thing in my book. He's one of the few who can make a sprint against Cav interesting.

[Nuncio]

Argos will be worried and Kittel is probably shitting himself.