Cyclingnews understands that ASO’s plan to pull its races from the 2017 WorldTour is legal under UCI rules but the move would leave the reform of professional cycling in disarray.
The teams and riders are now stuck in the middle of the power struggle. The teams are desperate for reforms that can help them find more income and stability but all the while are dependent on the Tour de France to give their sponsors visibility and return on their investment.
ASO has openly started a war with the UCI about changes to the sport a number of times. This time they have been more subtle and played by the rules, knowing that the absence of the Tour de France would totally undermine and perhaps sink the WorldTour, leaving the UCI and UCI President Brian Cookson humiliated.
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Placings its WorldTour races as Hors Category on the lower-level European Tour calendar instead of the WorldTour is a simple step but would have a massive effect on the sport. ASO organise 61 days of the 148 days on the current WorldTour calendar. That is over 40 per cent of the races and includes the Tour de France, Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix, Fleche-Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Vuelta a Espana. ASO has even further influence thanks to organising the Tour of Qatar and the Tour of Oman with Eddy Merckx, the Criterium International, the World Ports Classic, the Artic Race of Norway, the Tour de Yorkshire, Paris-Tours and the Tour de l’Avenir.
It seems the UCI were expecting ASO’s move after the French organiser failed to raise any questions or take a stand at the recent UCI WorldTour seminar in Barcelona. ASO first said it would pull its races from the WorldTour in June if the planned reforms went ahead and it has now followed up on its threat after the reforms were voted and approved by the UCI Professional Cycling Council and the UCI Management Committee.
- See also: ASO withdraws the Tour de France from 2017 WorldTour calendar
- Prudhomme objects to WorldTour expansion
- UCI promises to push on with WorldTour reforms with or without ASO
Cyclingnews understands that secret talks before the WorldTour seminar failed to convince ASO to hold fire. French Cycling Federation President and UCI Vice President David Lappartient, the President of the Belgian Cycling Federation Tom Van Damme, and Igor Makarov – the owner of the Katusha team and president of the Russian Cycling Federation, apparently sat down with ASO in Paris but failed to convince them to come back to the table.
- See also: Prudhomme supports reduced eight-rider teams at Tour de France
- UCI approves principles for reform of men’s professional cycling
- UCI seminar vital for WorldTour reform process
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