Professional cycling teams are ranked into three tiers. The top level is UCI Pro Team and the 18 teams here have automatic and obligatory access to the big races on the UCI’s World Tour calendar. In addition, there is a range of rules governing these teams that aim to ensure sporting and financial stability.
You’ll find the top-18 teams below, their sponsors explained plus riders and staff listed.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has been hearing the double appeal brought by the UCI, cycling’s governing body and WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, against the verdict reached by the Spanish cycling authorities just under a year ago.
To recap, Contador tested positive for clenbuterol during the 2010 Tour de France this started a saga of delay and appeal. He is currently cleared to ride but the CAS has been hearing an appeal and the verdict is expected shortly. However, things have taken a twist in the last two days and as I set out below, it is possible that many will find any verdict unsatisfactory.
RCS, organisers of the Giro d’Italia and other major races have announced the wildcard invitations for 2012. The 18 World Tour teams* are invited automatically, leaving the organiser to pick four teams to complete the list of teams. The idea is that the elite teams ride the biggest races but organisers are free to invite some extra teams, to bring in some more domestic riders or to ensure some exciting riders outside of the top teams can ride and bring something extra.
The four teams opening the prosecco today are Androni Giocattoli-CIPI, Colnago-CSF Inox, Farnese Vini-Selle Italia and Team NetApp.
You can now download a calendar of all the major pro races for 2012, both men’s and women’s competitions.
This is no collection of stripped down women nor scenic images, instead just a functional Google calendar and ICS/iCal file. One or two clicks and it’s on your iPhone / Outlook etc calendar.
Aurelien Duval wins the 2012 national cyclocross championships in Quelneuc, France.
He can now wear the blue, red and white tricolore jersey of national champion for the next 12 months and I wonder if his joy is increased now that he can ditch the unmistakable jersey of his club, UV Aube? Yes, it features a lingerie model.
Last Friday was the day of Epiphany. In France it is traditional to take down the Christmas decorations and share a cake called a galette des rois. I don’t know if they were eating any galettes at the French Cycling Federation (FFC) but they were probably taking down their Christmas decorations in haste because their Christmas card prominently featured Grégory Baugé who was stripped of his world championships that day.
Yet the case is an odd one given the 11 month delay and there’s even the possibility of a cover-up.
I wrote about the wealthiest men in cycling back in March 2010, but fortunes can come and go, and now there are new names to add to the list and some names to delete.
If you thought the likes of Alberto Contador, Mark Cavendish or Philippe Gilbert were the best paid in cycling, time to think again. It is the people behind the scenes who fund some of the pro teams that are the wealthiest. Read on and you will find the missing link between Damiano Cunego and Jennifer Lopez.
I wore rain pants the other day. This is not the opening line of a joke, similar to “I shot a moose” but instead it feels like a guilty admission as I’d never have imagined wearing these after years of riding with lycra-based clothing. In my mind leg warmers or bibtights are used in winter and nothing else exists.
However if these hadn’t been on my radar before they’ve been useful and allowed me to ride when I might otherwise have stayed indoors.
I wish I didn’t have to write this. Alejandro Valverde has yet to race in 2012 but is already pedalling some bold claims. The outrageous display of denial by at a Movistar team presentation yesterday can’t go unmentioned. He told the press:
“I haven’t done anything wrong. I’ve always respected the law, my conscience is clean”
For the record, remember he was banned by the Italian Olympic authority CONI in 2009 and then tried to appeal this with the Court of Arbitration for Sport and lost. Then both the UCI and WADA successfully got the ban extended worldwide for 2010 and 2011 via the CAS.
There are 18 UCI Pro Tour teams for 2012 comprising 505 riders. Here you can see the oldest and youngest riders, the average age in the bunch and which nation sends the most riders into the top flight of men’s road cycling.