if we’re overreacting to the UCI’s release. They have said “these teams have made the deadline,” but they have not definitively said that Astana did not. They simply omitted them from the list of teams about whom the UCI is prepared to make a positive announcement.

If the holdup is financial guarantee, then it may take more time beyond October 20 to decipher, but ultimately the UCI could come back on December 31st or whatever and say “the October 20 filing was sufficient.” As an attorney for a public entity, IMHO when public entities refrain from making positive judgments, it shouldn’t be taken as a negative judgment. When they do speak, they have to have a record in support of whatever they say, and may simply need more time.

I suspect an Astana contract is subject to either Belgian or Kazakh labor law, two subjects I could not know less about. The UCI’s ability to affect labor law is probably right up there with their ability to direct the grand tours.

Fedrigo has to stay at Bouygues not because of French labor law but because he has a year remaining on his contract and he was mistaken in thinking that his contract was linked to the team having ProTour status. French labor law has NOTHING to do with it, the proof being that Bernaudeau says he was advised by the UCI as well as his comment “This isn’t football.” Either way, Bouygues and Cofidis both are auto-qualified for the 2010 Tour which of course is the most important thing for French teams and riders.

Also, the Grand Tours are not “ProTour stage races” as Lindsey suggests. And though ProTour rules apply here, the ProTour isn’t even close to being what the UCI originally envisioned. If Astana lose their ProTour license, they are still auto-qualified for the 2010 Tour barring new ethical issues. And RadioShack getting a ProTour license doesn’t in and of itself automatically qualify them for the 2010 Tour.

Who knew?

From the article:

The UCI have now confirmed that riders from the five teams concerned may indeed look for other teams if they so wish. “If Alberto Contador leaves tomorrow, we can only say that this option would be complying with our rules,” confirmed UCI spokesman Enrico Carpani to Cyclingnews on Friday evening.

The article in question, 2.15.139, article 8.1.f, was newly introduced in July. It states, “if, on 20 October of the year preceding a year of registration covered by the present contract, the UCI ProTeam has not submitted a registration file containing the essential documents,” the rider may terminate the contract “without notice or liability for damages”.

Carpani said that it came about after the French H2O team was denied Professional Continental status last year. He explained that this refusal prompted the rule; if riders have to wait until after November 20th and then learn that the team registration has been refused, they are left in a difficult position in terms of finding an alternative deal.

“In our opinion, if you are a rider, you have to right to know if your position is safe or not,” he said. “This gives riders one extra month to decide what they have to do for their future.”

“Love Long Distance”, by the band “Gossip”
link to the metacafe video here

some of the lyrics highlights are . . .
Been Across the whole Atlantic
And back again
I had it with your antics
Your childish games
Love long distance
Is testing me trying my patience
I need more of your assistance now
You’re making me crazy
The way that you’ve been acting lately
When I need you, you can’t be found
I want someone who’s around for me
Does it have to be so complicated?
Either way I’m devastated
I could use a little comforting
And I will Thank you for your cooperation
Stop playing with me

Contador + others can leave Astana because they failed to file all paperwork by Oct 20th. UCI says it’s okay, as noted by MambaFan above.

Can we now take wagers on which other team he’ll end up on?