At least they are now being honest

[Keith Oates]

ASO have always said they are not trying to take over from or be an alternative to the UCI, the taking over or partnership with the Vuelta and now the Tour of California suggests otherwise. The reported comment from Rudehomme seems to say it all:

< Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme added, "The Tour of California, which will celebrate its fourth anniversary in February 2009, is still a brand new event on the cycling calendar, but one with a promising future ahead of it." Prudhomme emphasised the fact that ASO can help with "our support ... and know-how established through the organisation of centenary events, such as the Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège." He also saw it as the organisation's duty to expand the sport of cycling worldwide.

Seems that a situation similar to the boxing fiasco is getting closer.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dave5N]

ANd suspending the French Cycling Federation was International sporting diplomacy in action?

 

[yello]

I KNEW this was going to be about ASO! Keith, you've got a bee in your bonnet mate!

 

[Keith Oates]

Yes, you're correct Yello but I can honestly say I hope my 'fears' are wrong, we shall see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[yenrod]

The UCI is the lame duck.

Lets not forget the UCI came well after the TDF was started...

 

[andy_wrx]

If it's push-comes-to-shove, my support's for ASO rather than the ludicrous and out-of-control McQeada...

Get rid of McQuaid and Verbruggen, get UCI to start limiting its activities to those its mandated to, ie. to acting as a governing body rather than race organiser, to drop the ProTour and not try to get its paws on commercial deals, then we'll start getting somewhere.

At the minute the UCI leadership has very little support from any of the European cycling nations, is just kept in place by delegates from non-cyling nations.

 

[yello]

Lets not forget the UCI came well after the TDF was started...

This, for me, is one of the key things to understand about why ASO are the way that they are. That, and the fact that they, as a business, are motivated completely differently. ASO and UCI are never going to see eye-to-eye. Sadly, it's cycling and pro cyclists that caught in the cross fire - to mix me metaphors.

 

[Dave5N]

Yes mixed metaphors, but you hit the nail on the head.