Sunday, April 02, 2006

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid ...

I should have known better.
The day after April 1, we're safe for another year.
But the Cycling News almost had me when I read:

Edited by the Cyclingnews April 1 team
ProTour scrapped
Even more complicated, unfairer system proposed
By Jeff Jones
The UCI, in conjunction with ASO, RCS Sport, Unipublic, the AIGCP and Dick Pound, has decided to put an end to the ProTour, world cycling's governing body announced on April 1. After nearly two years of wrangling between the UCI and the grand tour organisers, it was agreed at a meeting in Aigle that the ProTour and the road cycling reform was too much, too soon, and it was best to put it on the backburner.

"It's disappointing, yes, but there was no way forward," a UCI source told Cyclingnews. "Basically, no-one understood how it worked, and the big race organisers thought we were treading on their toes. That wasn't the intention, but you can only lead a horse to water." The last word went to WADA president Dick Pound, who in a rare moment of agreement with the UCI, said, "I think this is a positive step, and it will eliminate all doping in cycling by 2007."

And:
2007 Tour to Include UK-France Time Trial
By Mark Zalewski
With the 2007 Grand Départ announced for London, as well as subsequent stages, the organisers of the Tour de France, Amaury Sports Organisation, have announced an addition to the race -- a 55km time trial from Cheriton in Kent, the United Kingdom, to Coquelles near Calais in northern France, utilizing the middle access tunnel of the Channel Tunnel or 'Chunnel.'

"It is really a matter of economics," said an organisation representative. "It's just a lot easier to move the race back to France this way -- having the riders race the distance on their bikes instead of loading everything and everyone onto TGV trains."

Other headlines:
Armstrong film searching for new star
Cipo & Hondo introduce hair care product line
Tech: SRAM silences environmental critics with new fully biodegradable drivetrain

You can read more of the same on the Cycling News site.

No comments:

Sunday, April 02, 2006

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid ...

I should have known better.
The day after April 1, we're safe for another year.
But the Cycling News almost had me when I read:

Edited by the Cyclingnews April 1 team
ProTour scrapped
Even more complicated, unfairer system proposed
By Jeff Jones
The UCI, in conjunction with ASO, RCS Sport, Unipublic, the AIGCP and Dick Pound, has decided to put an end to the ProTour, world cycling's governing body announced on April 1. After nearly two years of wrangling between the UCI and the grand tour organisers, it was agreed at a meeting in Aigle that the ProTour and the road cycling reform was too much, too soon, and it was best to put it on the backburner.

"It's disappointing, yes, but there was no way forward," a UCI source told Cyclingnews. "Basically, no-one understood how it worked, and the big race organisers thought we were treading on their toes. That wasn't the intention, but you can only lead a horse to water." The last word went to WADA president Dick Pound, who in a rare moment of agreement with the UCI, said, "I think this is a positive step, and it will eliminate all doping in cycling by 2007."

And:
2007 Tour to Include UK-France Time Trial
By Mark Zalewski
With the 2007 Grand Départ announced for London, as well as subsequent stages, the organisers of the Tour de France, Amaury Sports Organisation, have announced an addition to the race -- a 55km time trial from Cheriton in Kent, the United Kingdom, to Coquelles near Calais in northern France, utilizing the middle access tunnel of the Channel Tunnel or 'Chunnel.'

"It is really a matter of economics," said an organisation representative. "It's just a lot easier to move the race back to France this way -- having the riders race the distance on their bikes instead of loading everything and everyone onto TGV trains."

Other headlines:
Armstrong film searching for new star
Cipo & Hondo introduce hair care product line
Tech: SRAM silences environmental critics with new fully biodegradable drivetrain

You can read more of the same on the Cycling News site.

No comments: