UCI deadline(s), due October 1, What to expect ?

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Did I miss something or have the UCI just moved the goal posts?
I see that that all important team classification has been added to muddy the waters still further.
How did the US squads qualify for a ranking, having not ridden any rankable races?
What happened to Savio's Tour, or is that still on?
My confusion is now complete.

If you actually tried reading the article, it said that all races of ALL CIRCUITS were counted. So also races from europe conti, america conti, asia conti and austrlia conti races.

Kind of like the old uci ranking, all professional races counted.

 

[Christian]

I hope Verandas Willems will step up to ProConti!

 

[Mellow Velo]

If you actually tried reading the article, it said that all races of ALL CIRCUITS were counted. So also races from europe conti, america conti, asia conti and austrlia conti races.

Kind of like the old uci ranking, all professional races counted.

Well, it gives an answer of sorts to the US team inclusions.
Nothing on the rest, though.
Pat will get what Pat wants.
I suspect the French will be down to one top ranked team at the end of this process.
The UCI's way of handing a big "thank you" to Pierre B and his lab boys?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

How the hell are teams supposed to know what they're racing for if the UCI keeps moving the goalposts? You don't know what the criteria they're making the decisions on are, so how do you target how you're going to progress if you want to develop?

Unless Pat McQuaid suddenly turned into Franz Kafka, this is more idiocy that's going to lead to arguments and possibly a Unibet situation.

Plus, Androni are 28th - but they're still guaranteed a Giro slot because of winning the Copa Italia.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

If Saxo Bank lose Contador's ranking points if he gets busted for doping then they will fall way out of the top 20 on that list I reckon. Contador has 482 points. Porte is the only other rider in the top 100.

 

[Mellow Velo]

How are Geox struggling for a top spot, given Menchov's GT results over the past 2 years? Sastre's 2009 Giro?
David Blanco's string of wins, including the Volta?

Designed to make it all unfathomable, so that any deal can be done.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Well, how the hell are Pegasus ahead of Androni? I know Androni were based around Scarponi, who's now gone, but surely Serpa's, Sella's, Rujano's (remember, Langkawi is 2.HC) and Jackson Rodríguez's results plus all the likes of Loddo would counteract McEwen and next to nobody else...

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

As I understand it, ten teams already have a licence that lasts for at least one more season:
* AG2R – LA MONDIALE
* KATUSHA
* LAMPRE – ISD
* OMEGA PHARMA – LOTTO
* QUICKSTEP CYCLING TEAM
* RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM
* SAXO BANK SUNGARD
* SKY PROCYCLING
* TEAM GARMIN - CERVELO
* TEAM RADIOSHACK

All of those are in the top 20, so unless financial/ethical issues are stumbling boxes, these ten are in.

There were 10 other applicants reported by the UCI on 5th October:
* BMC RACING TEAM
* COFIDIS
* EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI
* FDJ
* GEOX – TMC
* HTC – HIGHROAD
* LIQUIGAS – CANNONDALE
* LUXEMBOURG PRO CYCLING PROJECT
* TELEFONICA MOVISTAR
* VACANSOLEIL – DCM PROCYCLING TEAM
and it is generally accepted that 2 additional applications were only missing for administrative reasons, and could be considered:
* ASTANA
* FLY-V PEGASUS

So of the 12 applicants for 8 places, 2 are essentially disqualified on sporting grounds (Pegasus and FDJ being out of the top 20), and 7 are in the top 15 (ASTANA, BMC, HTC, LIQUIGAS, LUXEMBOURG, TELEFONICA, VACANSOLEIL).

So that leaves 1 out of three:
* COFIDIS
* EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI
* GEOX – TMC
to get a PT licence. My money would be on Geox.

But Astana might be called into question ethically, or administratively, and so Euskaltel would be my bet to take their place if they dont make it.

If Saxo drop out of the top 15 because of losing AC's points, I would consider them to be still well placed in what would then be a case of 2 out of 4 (Saxo, Geox, Euskaltel, Cofidis), but if they were to lose so many points that they went out of the top 20, then there might be hope yet for Cofidis.

But the implication here that many of you will have been hoping for: Vacansoleil look likely to be in!

 

[Anonymous]

Im lost.. no idea what teams are getting PT licences, no idea what teams get tour invites.. Completely and utterly stumped

 

[luckyboy]

So basically, it's these..

1 Luxembourg Pro Cycling Project
2 Rabobank Cycling Team
3 Garmin-Cervélo
4 HTC-Highroad
5 Omega Pharma-Lotto
6 Lampre-ISD
7 Katusha
8 Sky ProCycling
9 Liquigas-Cannondale
10 Saxo Bank SunGard
11 Team RadioShack
12 Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
13 Pro Team Astana
14 Movistar Team
15 BMC Racing Team

Plus three of these.
16 Euskaltel-Euskadi
17 Geox-TMC
18 Quick Step Cycling Team
19 Cofidis Le Crédit en ligne
20 AG2R

Didn't realise QST/the riders they've signed had that bad a year. AG2R, Quickstep & Geox to stay in.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Im lost.. no idea what teams are getting PT licences, no idea what teams get tour invites.. Completely and utterly stumped

PT teams get invited to all World Tour races that are NOT the historic ones I figure. Tour/Giro/Vuelta are all 'historic', just as few one day races.
For these, they still have to rely on wild cards/organisers.

 

[Christian]

It all adds up:

CQ Riders values and team ranking preview due October 23rd, on the basis of the document presented by the UCI: [http://www.UCI-crit€res-valeur-des-coureurs.com]

Team ranking:

1 Garmin - Cervélo 1144
2 Rabobank 1079
3 Luxembourg 876

plus

Rider values:

8 CANCELLARA Fabian 274

=

1 Luxembourg 1150
2 Garmin - Cervélo 1144
3 Rabobank 1079

 

[minessa]

How are Sky ahead of Liquigas?

 

[theyoungest]

How are Geox struggling for a top spot, given Menchov's GT results over the past 2 years? Sastre's 2009 Giro?
David Blanco's string of wins, including the Volta?

Designed to make it all unfathomable, so that any deal can be done.

Well, it's the team's 15 best riders that count. Geox have Menchov, Sastre, uhh... Blanco... uhh? Who else?

Team depth matters. Geox don't have much depth.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

So basically, it's these..

... 15 teams...)

Plus three of these.
16 Euskaltel-Euskadi
17 Geox-TMC
18 Quick Step Cycling Team
19 Cofidis Le Crédit en ligne
20 AG2R

Only if they ignore the long licences already held: if they respect those, then its the top 15, plus QST and AG2R, plus one of the other 3 here.

Unless "ethical, financial and administrative criteria" come into play.

But why have they announced only 4 as definites today? KAT, LAM, RSH and SAX also have enduring licences and a top 15 rating today. Doubts about whether Saxo's points will still be there in a few weeks might make that understandable, what is lacking in the ''ethical, financial and administrative criteria'' of the other three?

 

[WonderLance]

Oh, I get it.

and that all = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Cobblestoned]

Im lost.. no idea what teams are getting PT licences, no idea what teams get tour invites.. Completely and utterly stumped

Look for information, sleep about it and wake up with THE enlightenment.
Works sometimes.

I now think and hope, that it comes out like this in the end:

- Top18 (2011 ? I would prefer 2011 and think so ) Teams will have the right, but also the obligation to start at all PT-races and GTs
- rest filled up with wildcards (up to 22 Teams)
- organizers will be free to "disinvite" any team or rider if there is a plausible reason (I can't see the GT organzers give this "title" away)
- teams will be free to leave out one race of their choice on the PT-calendar (should be announced in January at latest)

Most important thing, for me, is the best possible planning security for all parties. Would be good against doping, too.

 

[sublimit]

tgsgirl can usually sort this sort of stuff and explain things if she can get her b*tt here ..
It does seem very confusing but thats down to imbeciles at the UCI as per usual.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Five teams that were named on 5th October as Pro-Conti applicants are missing from the list announced today:
Andalucia Caja Granada,
CCC Polsat Polkowice,
De Rosa-Ceramica Flaminia,
Netapp,
Verandas Willems.

Have they been rejected for ProConti status, or simply not yet accepted?

Is there an upper limit to the number of Pro Continental teams? Three of these are higher on the sporting criteria table than teams that have been named as accepted for next season.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Well, it's the team's 15 best riders that count. Geox have Menchov, Sastre, uhh... Blanco... uhh? Who else?

Team depth matters. Geox don't have much depth.

Which makes BMC's automatic, 15th spot even more surprising.

 

[nobilis]

I quoted this from the CN article:
"It was decided that only the top 15 teams in this ranking would receive or keep their existing first tier status as long as they also meet the financial, ethical and administrative criteria."

Does that mean that even if a team has a multi-year licence, they're not guaranteed to keep it for next year?

 

[The Hitch]

SO Vaconsolei are in?

Great news.

Does this mean they will get gts?

 

[Sophistic]

SO Vaconsolei are in?

Great news.

Does this mean they will get gts?

Not so fast, what if Mosquera gets suspended?Its kind of silly from the UCI to release the list before the cases of Contador and Mosquera have been resolved.

 

[theyoungest]

Not so fast, what if Mosquera gets suspended?Its kind of silly from the UCI to release the list before the cases of Contador and Mosquera have been resolved.

No, Mosquera's points haven't been taken into account, at Vacansoleil's explicit request. With Mosquera they'd be in the top-10.

Which makes BMC's automatic, 15th spot even more surprising.

Meh, BMC aren't great, but they've done something about their team depth. Geox really are quite weak apart from their few stars.

 

[Sneekes]

Did I miss something or have the UCI just moved the goal posts?

Yep, just made up a list in the order they want, claim it's a complex algorithm, and then most importantly of all - NEVER EVER admit the algorithm doesn't exist.