Following the lead of the Giro, ASO has already 86’ed Astana from the 2008 Tour de France and it looks like they will be missing out on Paris-Nice and all other ASO races (Paris-Roubaix, Fleche Wallonne, and LBL among others). Team High Road (formerly T-Mobile), is free and clear to race in 2008 as they are a restructured their entire team and program; very similar to what Astana has done. The only differences are that T-HiRoad changed their name (as they lost the main sponsor) and relocated to California. Astana kept the same sponsor and location; yet totally overhauled their entire roster and program. Simple solution: Name change.
Rabobank and Cofidis, two other teams that had “issues” in the 2007 Tour are free and clear to race in ASO races for 2008 due to the way in which they handled their respective situations (Rabobank kicking the Chicken to the curb and Cofidis leaving the Tour after Moreni’s positive).
None of this makes much sense. I don’t buy into the conspiracy theory of keeping the strongest team off the course; but there is definitely some criteria that the rest of us, outside the ASO, are not privy to…
A bummer for Levi, Contador, and the rest of the Baby Blue Crew, but such is life. The Vuelta seems to be waiting with open arms…
Rabobank and Cofidis, two other teams that had “issues” in the 2007 Tour are free and clear to race in ASO races for 2008 due to the way in which they handled their respective situations (Rabobank kicking the Chicken to the curb and Cofidis leaving the Tour after Moreni’s positive).
None of this makes much sense. I don’t buy into the conspiracy theory of keeping the strongest team off the course; but there is definitely some criteria that the rest of us, outside the ASO, are not privy to…
A bummer for Levi, Contador, and the rest of the Baby Blue Crew, but such is life. The Vuelta seems to be waiting with open arms…
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