Wildcard teams

Bro Deal said:

According to cyclingnews, the UCI has selected the following teams that are allowed to be wildcard teams.

The teams are Elk Haus-Simplon (Aut), Team Volksbank (Aut), Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner (Bel), Topsport Vlaanderen (Bel), Andalucía-Cajasur (Spa), Karpin Galicia (Spa), Agritubel (Fra), Barloworld (GBr), CSF Group Navigare (Irl), Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo (Ita), Tinkoff Credit Systems (Ita), Skil-Shimano (Ned), BMC Racing Team (USA), Slipstream Chipotle - H30 (USA) and Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli (Ven). No decision was made regarding the Mitsubishi-Jartazi (Est), "the Licence Commission is awaiting further information."

Always on the ball, the UCI selected them after the Giro made it selection. It also seems like there is a lot of wiggle room for the UCI to accept or deny a team. Not good.

The power battle looks like it is getting worse rather than better.

Bro Deal said:

According to cyclingnews, the UCI has selected the following teams that are allowed to be wildcard teams.

The teams are Elk Haus-Simplon (Aut), Team Volksbank (Aut), Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner (Bel), Topsport Vlaanderen (Bel), Andalucía-Cajasur (Spa), Karpin Galicia (Spa), Agritubel (Fra), Barloworld (GBr), CSF Group Navigare (Irl), Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo (Ita), Tinkoff Credit Systems (Ita), Skil-Shimano (Ned), BMC Racing Team (USA), Slipstream Chipotle - H30 (USA) and Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli (Ven). No decision was made regarding the Mitsubishi-Jartazi (Est), "the Licence Commission is awaiting further information."

Always on the ball, the UCI selected them after the Giro made it selection. It also seems like there is a lot of wiggle room for the UCI to accept or deny a team. Not good.

WTF does the UCI have to do with wildcard selections??? I'm sure that race organizers will love the fact that they are dictated whom to choose for wildcards. I agree with Cranky. McQuaid's lust for power is going over the top here.

Bro Deal said:

According to cyclingnews, the UCI has selected the following teams that are allowed to be wildcard teams.

The teams are Elk Haus-Simplon (Aut), Team Volksbank (Aut), Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner (Bel), Topsport Vlaanderen (Bel), Andalucía-Cajasur (Spa), Karpin Galicia (Spa), Agritubel (Fra), Barloworld (GBr), CSF Group Navigare (Irl), Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo (Ita), Tinkoff Credit Systems (Ita), Skil-Shimano (Ned), BMC Racing Team (USA), Slipstream Chipotle - H30 (USA) and Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli (Ven). No decision was made regarding the Mitsubishi-Jartazi (Est), "the Licence Commission is awaiting further information."

Always on the ball, the UCI selected them after the Giro made it selection. It also seems like there is a lot of wiggle room for the UCI to accept or deny a team. Not good.

Barloworld's inclusion on that list is a disgrace in my opinion.

The Barlo's had a great 2007 season - they featured well in the TDF for example :

I agree ..........not good.

limerickman said:

Barloworld's inclusion on that list is a disgrace in my opinion.

The Barlo's had a great 2007 season - they featured well in the TDF for example :

I agree ..........not good.

Sorry Lim, I don't understand what you are saying... do you believe that Barloworld should not be a wildcard? 😕

Powerful Pete said:

Sorry Lim, I don't understand what you are saying... do you believe that Barloworld should not be a wildcard? 😕

Sorry.

The Barlo's should have ProTour status in my opinion.
I realise my earlier message was unclear.

Bro Deal said:

According to cyclingnews, the UCI has selected the following teams that are allowed to be wildcard teams.

The teams are Elk Haus-Simplon (Aut), Team Volksbank (Aut), Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner (Bel), Topsport Vlaanderen (Bel), Andalucía-Cajasur (Spa), Karpin Galicia (Spa), Agritubel (Fra), Barloworld (GBr), CSF Group Navigare (Irl), Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo (Ita), Tinkoff Credit Systems (Ita), Skil-Shimano (Ned), BMC Racing Team (USA), Slipstream Chipotle - H30 (USA) and Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli (Ven). No decision was made regarding the Mitsubishi-Jartazi (Est), "the Licence Commission is awaiting further information."

Always on the ball, the UCI selected them after the Giro made it selection. It also seems like there is a lot of wiggle room for the UCI to accept or deny a team. Not good.

Aren't these simply the pro continental teams that have agreed to the biological passport?
What other criteria did UCI use ?

earth_dweller said:

Aren't these simply the pro continental teams that have agreed to the biological passport?
What other criteria did UCI use ?

I am not sure. I have not looked at a list of all the Pro Conti teams. The story on cyclingnews gave a list of criteria for being selected as a wildcard, including the bio passport, but did not mention which, if any, teams had been left out.

I just found a list of Pro Conti teams for 2008 and it has thirty teams on it. I don't know how many are not doing the bio passport.

limerickman said:

Sorry.

The Barlo's should have ProTour status in my opinion.
I realise my earlier message was unclear.

Probably they don't want it.

If they have they should have a team on 3 GT, it's too much for them and a lot of PT !

poulidor said:

Probably they don't want it.

If they have they should have a team on 3 GT, it's too much for them and a lot of PT !

Plus the ProTour is no longer worth anything. Why pay money for it.

limerickman said:

Sorry.

The Barlo's should have ProTour status in my opinion.
I realise my earlier message was unclear.

come on Lim, Barloworld only rode well because they had Claudio Corti's magic potion. Tell me Hunter and Soler were not two of the hottest riders last year. They were riding mega juiced.

They are lucky not to get the Astana treatment. Soler was just as believable as Rass and Contador. He may be that talented, but not in a doped up troika of Rass, Contador and himself, would he be the odd man out.

poulidor said:

Probably they don't want it.

If they have they should have a team on 3 GT, it's too much for them and a lot of PT !

Fair point.