UCI ProTour : License Commission Decisions

"Following the examination of requests received, the License Commission has awarded a UCI ProTour license to two teams and two events.

The Lampre team (ITA) has obtained a four-year license for the period 2010 to 2013. As for the Milram team (ITA), it has received a license for one year, valid in 2010.

On the other hand, the Commission has decided not to award a UCI ProTour license to the French teams Cofidis, le crédit en ligne and Bbox Bouygues Télécom.

The Commission continues to examine the file submitted by the new American team Radio Shack. It will announce its decision at a later date."

4 months ago TheFigurehead 31 comments 0 recs |

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I was thinking that BBox would get a license but when looking at there results it isn't too much of a suprise because

almost all of there wins came in French races. Though it is a bit of a suprise that Milram actually got any sort of license over Cofidis

by Vlaanderen90 on Sep 29, 2009 11:54 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

nah

The UCI have to support German cycling one way or another. Though I see Milram are actually registered in Italy, which I didn’t know.

by civetta on Sep 29, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I guess it is kind of how LPR was registered in Ireland...

by Vlaanderen90 on Sep 29, 2009 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

hmmm

I thought LPR, Ceramica Flaminia & CSF Navigare were all registered in Ireland rather than Italy for tax reasons…

by civetta on Sep 29, 2009 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe for the same reason?...I don't know for sure... I knew that Milram used to be jointly Italian/German when

Ale-Jet and Zabel started the squad. Maybe something with that then

by Vlaanderen90 on Sep 29, 2009 12:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They were Italian registered last year but switched to being registered in Germany this year

I’d be surprised if they switched back for next year, that may be a misprint from the UCI.

Dammit Elk! I don't care if it's your mating season, you are disturbing my peaceful sleep! Just STFU!

by Phil H. on Sep 29, 2009 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are they trying to start another fight with ASO?

that’s an odd decision, and a real blow for anyone else looking for a wildcard entry to the Tour. I make it that there are now 17 ProTour teams (including both Astana, who it looks like they are trying to get rid of, and Fuji who could well die of their own accord), but only two of them are French, AG2R and FdJ. Add in the announcement that the top three ProConti teams are automatically going to be given invites to PT events (is that a rolling top three or is it frozen somewhere?) and that leaves room for one or two others. If the organisers don’t take them from Cofidis, Bweeg and Saur-Sojasun then French promoters may struggle to get local sponsors. It’s one thing to have a few big outsiders starring at your event, but quite another when they take up all the spear-carrier posts too. I can’t wait to see how this unfolds.

by Monty. on Sep 29, 2009 12:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Fuji is disbanding...they are trying to start a new team but it remains to be seen what will happen

by Vlaanderen90 on Sep 29, 2009 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm feeling sorry for Voeckler right about now

In fact for the Bbox team. They performed well enough to attract extra sponsorship and survive, but this will hurt. Can’t imagine the French public will be thrilled either.
Voeckler often drives me nuts, but I enjoy his joy at doing what he does.

"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'

by Seahorse on Sep 29, 2009 12:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

There was talk during the Tour

That Bweeg was looking for a new sponsor, did they found one?

Staring at the swim team gets you killed by a gang of dancing ninja men who know how to twirl.

by TheFigurehead on Sep 29, 2009 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not yet

but Bweeg agreed to stay on for 2010, when their original contract said that they would only be a secondary sponsor

by Monty. on Sep 29, 2009 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Disregard what I said below then

That’s the sponsorship I was remembering.

"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'

by Seahorse on Sep 29, 2009 1:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's late here and I've been up late editing so my brain's a bit fried

but I’m almost positive they did. Happy to look tomorrow to see whether I was imagining things.

"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'

by Seahorse on Sep 29, 2009 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just following the numbers

from the CN article

Bouygues Telecom and Cofidis were the lowest-ranked ProTour squads in the UCI’s world rankings this year at 19th and 20th, respectively, lower than the aforementioned Pro Continental teams

"It looks like talking, but it’s just words that comes out"
~ Andy Schleck

by Hons on Sep 29, 2009 1:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

so in that case, if the top three Pro-Conti teams are going to get automatic entry to PT events

as Monty points out above, the UCI are operating a promotion/relegation system, aren’t they?

by civetta on Sep 29, 2009 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

CQ rankings

Per CQ here are the ranked teams in question with their place and score:

14. Euskaltel 4737
15. Vacansoleil- 4656- 2nd highest ranked non Pro Tour team (Cervelo is ranked 8th).
16. Serramenti- 4575. 3rd highest non-PT
17. Milram- 4515
18. AG2R- 4486
19. Cofidis- 4426-
20. Agritubel- 4477- disbanding
21. BBox- 3968
22. LPR- 3263- 4th highest non PT team
23. Fuji- 2782- lowest ranked Pro Tour team and is disbanding with a chance to reconstitute itself somehow.
24. Skil Shimano- 2681- Thought about going Pro Tour but decided not to. 5th highest ranked non-PT team.

So I can see by merit alone the dropping of BBox and Cofidis. To add to that my guess is that the budgets of these two French teams are just way too low for a Pro Tour team and that would be a big consideration.

by ursula on Sep 29, 2009 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But in that case

if the three highest ranked Pro-Conti teams are going to get automatic entry to Pro-Tour events, if you’re any good why bother with the expense & stricter conditions of taking out a PT licence in any case? I don’t see, say, Cervelo jumping at the bit.

by civetta on Sep 29, 2009 3:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are there principles and rules involved?

(as usual) I know nothing of the process but it seems ripe for corruption

Moo

by Willj on Sep 29, 2009 4:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

" seems ripe for corruption"

googletranslateted to dutch is “dat lijkt verbruggen”

by Jens on Sep 29, 2009 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Har

Verdruggen? (not my joke)

by tedvdw on Sep 29, 2009 6:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It does look like the UCI team rankings had a lot to do with it.

1 ASTANA 1100
2 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 1048
3 TEAM COLUMBIA – HTC 957
4 TEAM SAXO BANK 941
5 LIQUIGAS 923
6 CERVELO TEST TEAM 804
7 QUICK STEP 760
8 SILENCE-LOTTO 717
9 RABOBANK 667
10 TEAM KATUSHA 637
11 GARMIN – SLIPSTREAM 612
12 EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI 551
13 LAMPRE – N.G.C 465
14 SERRAMENTI PVC DIQUIGIOVANNI-ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI 379
15 FRANÇAISE DES JEUX 238
16 AG2R LA MONDIALE 206
17 ACQUA & SAPONE – CAFFE MOKAMBO 189
18 TEAM MILRAM 182
19 BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 170
20 COFIDIS, LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 166

Milram, BBox, and Cofidis were at the bottom of returning Pro Tour teams (Fuji was lower, but is disbanding). The three Pro Conti teams that did better than they did (bolded above) will get automatic invites next year. The two lowest did not get Pro Tour licenses, while Milram was essentially granted a year to shape up.

There could well be plenty of other factors at work, but it all works as far as the UCI rankings go.

Throughout the stage all I kept on thinking was: ‘don’t finish second, you can’t finish second again’.--Heinrich Haussler

by majope on Sep 29, 2009 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But I still think that begs the question of why bother with a PT licence at all

if entry is to be dermined by where you finish in the UCI rankings? Look at where Cervelo are. Surely they should have a PT licence?

by civetta on Sep 30, 2009 4:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good question.

But from what I remember, Cervelo doesn’t want a PT license. Maybe the UCI doesn’t want to force teams to get one, but does want to require that the teams that are granted licenses maintain a certain level of competitiveness?

Throughout the stage all I kept on thinking was: ‘don’t finish second, you can’t finish second again’.--Heinrich Haussler

by majope on Sep 30, 2009 6:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

hmmm

but I still don’t see what advantages are of getting one if you are a (more than) competitive Pro-Conti team?

by civetta on Sep 30, 2009 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is it certain that they are required attendees

or just guaranteed invites should they desire it?

"It looks like talking, but it’s just words that comes out"
~ Andy Schleck

by Hons on Sep 30, 2009 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cofidis

I ran across a hint that Cofidis isn’t especially upset by this decision. I’ll look around and see if I can find more info about that.

Over at Bbox Bouygues, Pierrick Fédrigo wants to leave the team since they will not be pro tour. That would be unfortunate for the Bouygues because he is one of their more winning riders.

by gavia on Sep 30, 2009 11:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs