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McQuaid about teams at Paris - Nice: "We will work them out of the UCI."

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07.03.2008/ The UCI opened Disciplinary proceedings against the French Cycling Federation (FFC), its president Jean Pitallier and Cofidis team manager Eric Boyer. Boyer is also president of the International Association of Professional Cycling Groups (AIGCP). In an interview with Reuters newsagency, UCI president Patrick McQuaid said that teams that will start at this years edition of Paris - Nice will be thrown out of the UCI. In a reaction the teams decided that they will start on Sunday.

After ASO asked the UCI to start negotiations in a press release yesterday, UCI president started a new round of threads in an interview with Reuters newsagency. McQuaid said: "The UCI has made it quite clear to the teams that they needed to be aware of the decision they make." McQuaid continued by saying:"If they decide to go with (Paris-Nice organisers) ASO they have firmly taken the decision to be out of the UCI. We will work them out of the UCI."
 
McQuaid admitted that the Pro - Tour is dead and talked about a new start.

"The ProTour system as it is today is completely bombed," McQuaid said. "We'd start on a new system with the teams, organisers and cyclists who wish to respect the regulations of the UCI," the UCI president said. McQuaid added: "What is at stake is the authority and the autonomy of the UCI."

Giro d'Italia organiser RCS, which also organises Milano - San Remo and other important Italian races, are also involved int the conflict with the UCI.

Giro director Angelo Zomegnan said: "I understand the ASO position because we are in the last period of a long match between the UCI and organisers."

Zomegnan added: "We can't accept the abuse from the UCI anymore. It is not my goal to know if Pat McQuaid is unhappy with us. We are unhappy with him. The teams and riders are against McQuaid."

In a press release today, the UCI announced that the governing body opened disciplinary proceedings against the French Cycling Federation (FFC), its president Jean Pitallier and Eric Boyer.

The UCI said: "The International Cycling Union (UCI) decided today to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the French Cycling Federation (FFC) and its President, Mr Jean Pitallier, on the grounds that they colluded in effecting the withdrawal of Paris-Nice from the regulatory framework of the UCI, when there was no reason why the race should not have been held under the aegis of the UCI as an event on the international calendar. By so doing, the FFC and Mr J. Pitallier betrayed their obligations of loyalty towards the UCI and the entire cycling community."

The UCI continued by saying: "Further to the comments recently made about the UCI ProTour by Mr Eric Boyer, President of the International Association of Professional Cycling Groups (AIGCP), the UCI wrote today to Mr Boyer asking for his resignation from the UCI ProTour Council."

The UCI concluded by saying: "The UCI has also decided to open disciplinary proceedings against Mr Boyer. The grounds for the complaint are that he encouraged members of the AIGCP to contravene the UCI rules by asking them to take part in Paris-Nice when the event is not on the UCI calendar, which means that member teams of the AIGCP are not entitled to take part in the race."

Meanwhile the teams decided at a meeting this afternoon that they will start on Sunday. Fiftheen teams voted to start at this years Paris - Nice , eight teams decided to abstain from voring.

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