Giro d'Italia director Angelo Zomegnan about Astana

03.02.2008/ Giro d'Italia director Angelo Zomegnan said in yesterdays edition of Italian daily sports La Gazetto Dello Sport that Astana is not interested in the Giro. According to Zomegnan that was the main reason why Astana was not invited. French teams Credit Agricole and Bouygues Telecom are not allowed to start the Giro as well and reacted today. And Barloworld is happy that the British team received a wildcard.

Alberto Contador will not be allowed to start at the Giro (© Cyclingheroes)

On Friday Giro boss Angelo Zomegnan announced that Professional-Continental team Aqua & Sapone and four Pro-Tour teams will not receive a Giro invitation. The names of the four Pro-Tour squads are: Credit Agricole, Bouygues Telecom, Astana and Team High road. All five teams will also not be allowed to start at the Tirreno - Adriatico, Milano - San Remo.

Zomegnan told Italian daily sports 'Gazetta Dello Sport: "Astana has called all the time that Contador is only interested in the Tour and that Leipheimer at the most would come to the Giro to prepare for the Tour. So if our race doesn't fit for them, it doesn't make sense to invite this team."

Zomegnan admits that the past of the Astana team wasn't exactly an advantage for the Kazack team during the discussions about this years ivitations at RCS races. "Of course the management is different now and Astana also has other riders. But if thee really changed something... Time will tell."

After a good night sleep and some good thinking French Pro-Tour teams Bouygues Telecom and Credit Agricole came to the conclusion that its not a catastrophe.

Team managers Jean-René Bernaudeau (Bouygues Telecom) and Roger Legeay (Credit Agricole) regret the decision of Giro director Zomegnan.

Bernaudeau said: "Its a pitty for a few of our riders who did expect something at the Giro. Like [Thomas, editor] Voeckler. But who really cares. Now he can choose a different preparation for the Tour. This decision is surprising but far from being a catastrophe for us. We will review our program. Suddenly we have more races in which we can shine."

Andreas Klöden will not start at the Giro (© Cyclingheroes)

Legeay said: "The riders are paying the price. But let it be so, we will now change our programme. We can do without the Giro."

The team manager of Credit Agricole fears that Giro organiser RCS will also exclude his team from Milano - San Remo and Tirreno - Adriatico. Both races are also organised by RCS.

Legeay said: "What do you expect me to do about it? The organizers are free to choose whoever they want and they obviously believe it will be better without us."

It seems like RCS does not want teams on the startlist of this years Giro d'Italia who only use the race as preparation for the Tour de France.

Team Barloworld is one of the 21 teams which received an. Team Barloworld manager Claudio Corti welcomed the news with very positive words: "We already knew about the intention of the Italian organizers to invite our team, as well as we didn't hide our enthousiasm in facing this new challenge after the extraordinary experience we had last yeat in the Tour de France. For sure, to be competitive in both the most important stage races will be really complicate, even though we worked a lot during the winter to make our team stronger. Also Mauricio Soler is fully convinced about the opportunity to tackle Giro d'Italia and Tour de France in a row, we studied an appropriate race schedule together with him. I'm confident to see Team Barloworld on the spot at the Giro d'Italia as well"

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