The Patty McQuaid quotes show how much pressure is put on the teams to perform.... and how racing clean is 2nd fiddle.
"Pro Tour licences won’t last without results or recruitments"
You can look at all of the team struggling to make the leap, or hold their own just to stay at the top. BMC signed a bunch of riders and was almost dragged down early in the year for doping issues with "new recruitments". Vacansoleil somehow thought Ricco would count as a good 'new recruit'. I am putting my opinions of mgmt at these teams to make a point... they are left without a choice.
I think the saddest result of this pressure comes with the French teams. Oddly, the only country with a strong commitment to clean racing can't hold onto a team because the UCI won't help them stay afloat.
I remember a few years back when JV was getting the Slipstream program going. Sure, they had strong riders, but it wasn't like the results were at the center of the program. At that time, I don't think there was any pressure to perform from the UCI. In the end, the team was, in my opinion, given an opportunity to actually develop without the pressure of a license getting yanked.
"Pro Tour licences won’t last without results or recruitments"
You can look at all of the team struggling to make the leap, or hold their own just to stay at the top. BMC signed a bunch of riders and was almost dragged down early in the year for doping issues with "new recruitments". Vacansoleil somehow thought Ricco would count as a good 'new recruit'. I am putting my opinions of mgmt at these teams to make a point... they are left without a choice.
I think the saddest result of this pressure comes with the French teams. Oddly, the only country with a strong commitment to clean racing can't hold onto a team because the UCI won't help them stay afloat.
I remember a few years back when JV was getting the Slipstream program going. Sure, they had strong riders, but it wasn't like the results were at the center of the program. At that time, I don't think there was any pressure to perform from the UCI. In the end, the team was, in my opinion, given an opportunity to actually develop without the pressure of a license getting yanked.
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