Unibet.com leaves the AIGCP. Team manager Koen Terryn said in a statement
on the team's website: "We conclude that the AIGCP – of which we are a full member – and their chairman Patrick
Lefevre have never stood up for our rights. From now on, we no longer wish to be part of this AIGCP."
Terryn also asks fans on the team to stay calm. On several Belgian website fans
were calling to take action during a Tour de France stage after Tour organizer A.S.O. refused to let Unibet.com start.
Terryn said: "Much to my regret, I’m reading on several websites that some
people are inciting a boycott during a Tour de France stage to lodge a complaintagainst the exclusion of our Canyon team in
France." Later in the statement, Terryn says: "On my behalf and on behalf of our entire team, I explicitly want to call on
the people not to boycott the Tour de France. This wouldn’t help us in any way. Furthermore, actions like these would
damage international cycling even more, something we want to avoid at all times."
Terry also critized the UCI: "We also regret the UCI’s laxity in rewarding us a Pro Tour
licence without having laid down any guaranteed agreements with the organizers who are now discriminating and undeservedly
excluding us."
After an EU official told A.S.O. that they could not exclude Unibet.com because of the French anti-private
gambling laws, especially as Unibet.com is riding under the name Canyon.com in France, Tour director Christian Prudhomme told
reporters that Unibet.com is just not strong enough to compete at the high level of the Tour. Terryn doesn't agree
and still hopes for a start at the Grand Boucle: "Recently, our team proved to be a worthy Tour de France competitor after
finishing second in the overall team classification of the Tour de Suisse. In this proper context, I hope that common sense
prevails and Istill hope to be invited to the most prestigious cycling event in the world, the Tour de France, after all."
