No Contador or Astana for ASO

Astana is out of all ASO races (Tour de France, Paris-Nice, Roubaix, Leiege, Fleche, and Tours). I will still maintain that Astana is this years Unibet team and a way for the race organizers to show they will not be told who they can have at their races by the UCI. This team has undergone a major change before (from the Saiz run ONCE and Liberty Seguros to Astana) and the problems continued. So that is what ASO is using to justify their decision. So no Contador the defending champ at either Paris-Nice or the Tour.

The Tour has snubbed top teams/riders before under suspicion. Francesco Casagrande and his team in the 90’s and Pantani after ’99 were not invited. They passed over Cipollini and his team in favor of a “lesser” French team. By their own choice in the early 80’s neither Moser nor Saronni ever came to the Tour.

While I think Astana is not being treated fairly it is not the end of the world or even a major blow to pro cycling. It would be great to see Contador race, but if this means Slipstream gets in that will be exciting as well.

Just like the NCAA basketball tourney selection there is usually some controversy over at least one team. Unlike the past 2 years a team could not buy its way in via the UCI. They have to buy their way in other ways. Notice that after no Saunier Duval in last years Tour of California (they were not invited) this year Scott became a sponsor of the race and the team is there.

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