Levi and Lance to Gila after all?

So far there are tweets from Levi and Lance regarding racing in Silver City - Levi about going to Silver City and Lance about picking up jerseys from his store to race in, and another about talking with Livingston about the Gila. Maybe they are racing under assumed names or under the Mellow Johnny label somehow.

almost 3 years ago natbla 30 comments 0 recs |

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Not anymore, apparently

http://www.velonews.com/article/91278/no-astana-for-the-gila-as-uci-enforces-rules-barring

by Softie on Apr 28, 2009 10:28 AM EDT reply actions

That article was from yesterday (despite the date on it)

The change seems to have happened this AM as the twitters were from a couple hours ago. Still confusing, nonetheless. Also, there has been no mention of Horner this morning. He was ruled out as he’s not yet in shape I understand.

Just spinning the pedals in the hills of Western Maryland

by natbla on Apr 28, 2009 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions

To make matters even more comfusing

Lance tweeted “off to Aspen” so who knows

Just spinning the pedals in the hills of Western Maryland

by natbla on Apr 28, 2009 11:03 AM EDT up reply actions

A press report that they are infact riding

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/sports/nm_sports/nmsports_krqe_albuquerque_rule_keeps_armstrong_out_of_gila_race_200904271911

Just spinning the pedals in the hills of Western Maryland

by natbla on Apr 28, 2009 12:07 PM EDT reply actions

yup...Team Astana sent a tweet about 30 minutes ago

BREAKING NEWS: Levi Leipheimer, Chris Horner and Lance Armstrong will race Tour of the Gila!

by steph- on Apr 28, 2009 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Both BMC and Astana er Mellow Johnny's can only field 3 riders each

which means that 5 BMC riders are going home today

by lyne on Apr 28, 2009 1:07 PM EDT reply actions

Too bad for the 5 headed home

Any chance the UCI doing things like this could deter US based teams from being Pro-Conti?

by australopithecine on Apr 28, 2009 2:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Uh no.

by sminer on Apr 28, 2009 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions

They already are, apparently

Only two Pro Conti teams in the whole ‘UCI America Tour’: BMC (USA) and Serraetcetc (Venezuela).

by tedvdw on Apr 28, 2009 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions

So...if Astana/MJ wasn't there all would be ok for BMC?

I’m still not straight on BMC.

by cyclingdiva on Apr 28, 2009 1:10 PM EDT reply actions

no... bmc is a pro continental team

UCI which would permit only three riders from the same professional team to race under a neutral jersey for the national-level event. The agreement will also apply to the BMC Racing Team which, as a Professional Continental squad, falls under the same UCI regulation. Third division continental teams do not fall under the rule and are allowed to race national events with a full squad.

from: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2009/apr09/apr28news3

"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind

by umwolverine on Apr 28, 2009 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

They might just have got away with it

if Astana hadn’t brought all the publicity.

by Monty. on Apr 28, 2009 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions

I wonder if this is Horner's race as team leader for the year...

by Vlaanderen90 on Apr 28, 2009 3:27 PM EDT reply actions

Named after this little beast?

Cutie.

Oh my, I've just fallen in love with Roger De Vlaeminck's sideburns.

by TheFigurehead on Apr 28, 2009 3:45 PM EDT reply actions

it goes through

the Gila national forest and next to the Gila Wilderness Area (first created in the u.s.). (my old stomping grounds) I suppose the forest was named after the little beast.

by yeehoo on Apr 29, 2009 5:11 AM EDT up reply actions

I wonder how BMC is going to handle

the ToU and Jeff Louder? Wasn’t Garmin Pro Conti last year?

by cyclingdiva on Apr 28, 2009 4:29 PM EDT reply actions

this does suck for BMC all around

by lyne on Apr 28, 2009 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes Garmin/Slipstream was ProConti in 2007 and 2008

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/team.asp?year=2007&teamcode=TSL
http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/team.asp?year=2008&teamcode=TSL

by tedvdw on Apr 28, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought that they were Conti in 2007

I don’t remember them getting the range of invites that Pro-Conti teams usually get. When they raced overseas it was in the sort of races that Rock are doing this year.

by Monty. on Apr 28, 2009 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks, that is what I thought.

Garmin raced the ToU last year with a full team. So, I guess they are just now starting to enforce this rule.

by cyclingdiva on Apr 29, 2009 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Right, the Armstrong effect ...

by tedvdw on Apr 29, 2009 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Hey, why doesn't Mr Armstrong go save the Philly Race instead?

Mon coeur appartient à les forçats de la route.

by Josenka on Apr 28, 2009 7:21 PM EDT reply actions

Dunno. Maybe ask the Georgia people?

by Sui Juris on Apr 28, 2009 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions

So, what do y'all think of the UCI rule, anyway?

I mean, I understand why a promoter would want it. And giving the way races are dropping like flies these days, as a rider I’d probably support whatever I had to to keep these races going. That said, I do have sympathy for (what strikes me) as the essential purpose of the rule – to keep PT teams from dropping in and “disrupting” national circuit races at will, while having no particular interest in/obligation to the races.

by Sui Juris on Apr 28, 2009 9:44 PM EDT reply actions

I don't know...

What is meant by “disrupting”. It seems that what is essential right now is saving races.

by sminer on Apr 28, 2009 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Anything that brings in revenue is good.

And people will show up to see Lance. I think there could be a case that the rule itself is ok, but like most rules, needs to be applied based on circumstances. Which I realize puts a lot of pressure on people that don’t like to think about things. But come on, a race that’s already in difficulty has a chance to get Lance, Levi and Horner to ride in it, and the first reaction is to not allow it. I don’t see that as a good preservation instinct on the part of those running the sport. At least reason ultimately prevailed, it should be shocking that it ever was in question.

"I get paid to hurt other people. How good is that? How good is that?
I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, that's good." Jens!

by jsallee00 on Apr 29, 2009 12:00 AM EDT up reply actions

I think it makes sense in Europe

In Europe there are plenty of UCI-reg’d races for the ProConti and Pro Tour teams do ride. So, excluding them from essentially local races, where their stronger riders will take prize money and attention from up-and-coming talent makes sense. In the US, where the racing scene is smaller and there are fewer races overall, it hurts US-registered teams badly to be excluded from local races. In particular, BMC is screwed by this rule – they technically can’t ride much of anything here in the States. At the same time, if they abandon their ProConti reg., they can’t ride the big races in Europe. So, I think there needs to be some modification of the rule here in the US, or some way to allow the bigger teams to ride in the races here. The races need the publicity that the big names can give them – it’s the only way they will get the sponsorship support to survive. It also costs money – lots of cash – and political hoop-jumping to reg as a UCI race – a race like Gila is never really going to be able to do that.

All that said, the three rider composite rule isn’t too bad as compromises go. Still, I think there needs to be some modification here in the US. Not sure that’s going to happen, since the UCI would prefer that more races reg at a higher level – more money for them in reg fees.

by Jen See on Apr 29, 2009 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions