Tomorrow is D-Day for Astana team
Tomorrow's final deadline for the UCI’s registration of teams is crucial for the future of the Astana team!

Contador has signed with Astana through 2010, subject to Astana being granted a ProTour license. Rumours he could be paid as much as $12 million. Kazakh Government kicks in $22 million to fund Astana through 2010 ... developing story, various details here.   Sean Yates jumps from Astana to Sky.

"Our bikes are top and can certainly stand alongside the other brands. But in cycling it is not like in the Formula 1, where the car makes the difference."

I guess many cervelo fans on this site don't want to hear or admit that...

Astana hits another license hurdle


Astana ProTour fight continues, UCI seek extra guarantees

The seventeen confirmed ProTour teams are...

Press release : UCI ProTour - seventeen teams registered by the UCI
The UCI ProTour Council (UPTC) has ruled on the registration applications submitted by UCI ProTeams and candidates for ProTour licences.

Teams are required to submit a registration application to the International Cycling Union (UCI) on an annual basis. This procedure, which is assessed by external consultants, allows the UCI to check that all teams meet the requirements established by the regulations, particularly administrative and financial.

The teams were informed that the deadline for submitting registrations this year was 20 November.  After an examination of the applications received, the UPTC has registered the following 17 teams:

Team	Licence expiry
Astana (KAZ)	2010
Caisse d’Epargne (ESP)	2010
Euskaltel-Euskadi (ESP)	2010
Footon-Servetto (ESP)	2010
Française des Jeux (FRA)	2010
Liquigas-Doimo (ITA)	2010
Team Columbia-HTC (USA)	2010
Team Milram (DEU)	2010
Omega Pharma-Lotto (BEL)	2011
Quick Step (BEL)	2011
Saxo Bank (DNK)	2011
Team Katusha (RUS)	2011
AG2R La Mondiale (FRA)	2012
Garmin-Slipstream (USA)	2012
Rabobank (NLD)	2012
Team RadioShack (USA)	2013
Team Sky (GBR)	2013

The two new teams, with the two longest contracts..
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Lampre confident in keeping ProTour licence


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Contador's contract has loopholes

 "The UCI announced that it awarded the Astana team another ProTour licence for one year, which should be the key to certain Tour de France participation." Funny, that didn't stop Astana from being excluded in 2008. I also think its odd that Contador's contract says he " is free to leave Astana immediately if a doping case arises within the team during the 2010 season" - so do allegations count too? If so, its quite possible that Contador may not be riding for Astana in the TDF. The head of the Kazakh cycling federation is the son-in-law of Kazakhstan's president, so maybe he won't be able to leave the team. There is a lot of funny stuff going on in Kazakhstan (even if you leave  Borat out of the equation).

For example, the top selling drug in Kazakhstan is Actovegin, look it up, or see here:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2009_Jan_27/ai_n31216803/

Actovegin is a blood dopant on the list of banned performance-enhancing products (its legitimate medical application is to speed muscle repair).

"Actovegin activates metabolism in tissues. It also decreases tissue's hypoxia , improves trophicity and stimulates the process of regeneration. Actovegin increases not only the intracellular content of glucose, but also improves oxidizing metabolism, therefore the energy of the cell is improved, the blood circulation in brain is also improved."

I'm not  into conspiracy theories or anything, I just think its a totally bizzare factoid.

 

Well, since Vino is back with the Astana-team now, I don't think ASO have any problems to, not to invite Astana to the Tour de France..

UCI begins implementation of radio ban for Elite riders
Rider radios to be banned at Worlds, 1.2 and 2.2 events from 2010

The controversial plan to ban race radios in professional cycling has moved to the next stage, with the International Cycling Union (UCI) informing national federations this week that the next phase of their elimination has begun.

A letter was issued to the federations yesterday and outlined the changes applying to Elite men and women in 2010.

"The ban will be gradually introduced in accordance with a timetable, the first stage of which will be: 2010 season: ban for Men Elite and Women Elite Class 2 events of the UCI international calendar, events of the national calendar as well as the UCI World Championships," it read.
"We are therefore asking you to take the necessary steps so that you can implement this measure of ban at all national races registered on the national calendar of your Federation."
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Edit:
Coaching Development Programme to start in January 2010
The aim of the programme, which will start in January 2010, is to raise the standard of coaching throughout the world and create a global network of coaches who are capable of guiding their riders through to the highest level.

Press release - Registration of the UCI Professional Continental Teams for the 2010 Season
Based on the document presented to the UCI and following the reports given by the auditor Ernst&Young, the International Cycling Union has approved the registration of the following 19 UCI Professional Continental Teams for the 2010 season:

Acqua & Sapone (ITA)
Andalucia Cajasur (ESP)
Bbox Bouygues Telecom (FRA)
BMC Racing Team (USA)
Carmiooro - NGC (GBR)
CCC Polsat Polkowice (POL)
Ceramica Flaminia (IRL)
Cervélo TestTeam (CHE)
Cofidis (FRA)
Colnago - CSF Inox (IRL)
De Rosa - Stac Plastic (IRL)
ISD - Neri (ITA)
Landbouwkrediet (BEL)
Saur - Sojasun (FRA)
Scott - Marcondes César Sao José dos Campos (BRA)
Skil - Shimano (NLD)
Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator (BEL)
Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team (NLD)
Voralberg - Corratec (AUT)

According to article 2.16.017 of UCI Regulations, teams which registration as a UCI Professional Continental Team have been refused, can appeal to the Management Committee of the UCI by Friday December 4, 2009, at noon at the latest.


UCI Press Services





Androni Giocattoli, Xacobeo Galicia not on the list - CyclingNews

Cofidis manager criticises ProTour points system
"The team classification, for example, counts for nothing," added Boyer. "We finished fifth in the teams classification in the Vuelta - that does imply that we belong to the elite of pro cycling, doesn't it? David Moncoutié finished best climber of the Dauphiné Libéré and the Vuelta a España, but this did not help us in the ProTour ranking, either."

"From Passion to Performance": first wave of Directeurs Sportifs gain diplomas
No Cervélo TestTeam-directeurs..

THY:

Press release - Registration of the UCI Professional Continental Teams for the 2010 Season
Based on the document presented to the UCI and following the reports given by the auditor Ernst&Young, the International Cycling Union has approved the registration of the following 19 UCI Professional Continental Teams for the 2010 season:

Acqua & Sapone (ITA)
Andalucia Cajasur (ESP)
Bbox Bouygues Telecom (FRA)
BMC Racing Team (USA)
Cervélo TestTeam (CHE)

According to article 2.16.017 of UCI Regulations, teams which registration as a UCI Professional Continental Team have been refused, can appeal to the Management Committee of the UCI by Friday December 4, 2009, at noon at the latest.

UCI Press Services

Press release - UCI Professional Continental Teams: final registrations for the 2010 season





Press release - Twenty UCI Professional Continental Teams apply for Wild Card status


"Wild Card” label awarded to BMC Racing Team

McQuaid says UCI looking at transfer regulations
International Cycling Union (UCI) President Pat McQuaid has indicated that cycling's governing body will move to tighten the rules on rider transfers following a series of off-season controversies involving new British squad, Team Sky. McQuaid's comments came on Saturday at the Tour Down Under where Team Sky is making its professional debut.

"Since other teams believe that Sky has acted quite aggressively in its efforts to attract exactly the riders it wanted, we should perhaps tighten the rules on transfers. It's something we're looking at right now" McQuaid told AFP on Saturday.



VeloNation

THY:

Lampre confident in keeping ProTour licence

Press Release - Provisional registration of the Lampre-Farnese Vini team
The Licence Commission has accepted the proposal made by the International Cycling Union concerning the registration procedure of the Lampre-Farnese Vini team. This proposal was drawn up in the best interests of cycling and to assist the riders and personnel of the Italian team in particular.

Consequently, the Lampre-Farnese Vini team has been granted provisional registration until 31 March 2010.

McQuaid sees need for clarity in Grand Tour invitations
Patrick McQuaid has spoken in response to the call from Vacansoleil team manager Hilaire Vanderschueren for political intervention in securing more invitations for Dutch teams at this year's Tour de France. The UCI president spoke at a press conference, according to Het Nieuwsblad, expressing a need for change in the way that wild card invitations are awarded.

"It's ridiculous," said McQuaid on the situation. "This illustrates that the selection policy of the Grand Tours is becoming more and more like the Wild West. The Giro and Tour organisations can act like a Roman emperor. With a simple hand gesture the emperor can decide the fate of the gladiators."