Barredo to Quickstep?

Carlos Barredo told elcommerciodigital.com that he signed a pre-contract with Patrick Lefevere's Quickstep team in case Manolo Saiz won't be able to keep his Pro-Tour license. Barredo wishes to stay with Saiz and feels confident that Saiz will keep his license: “they won’t take away my team’s licence, It is my wish to proceed with the project of Manolo Saiz in the coming season”. Barredo, who lives in Gijón, is worried about his teammates: “I know that if the UCI does not include my current team tomorrow [the interview was made at December 9, Cyclingheroes] in the list that they will issue, several riders will have a hard time finding work, and in addition the auxiliaries and mechanics will be jobless. It’s sad," Barredo said.

The announcement about the Pro-Tour licenses for 2007 of the UCI Pro-Tour license committee was delayed and is re-scheduled to take place at Monday December 18.

Rubiera: Team managers are a bunch of hypocrites

elcommerciodigital.com also spoke with Chechu Rubierra. Rubierra commented on the possible exclusion of his team Discovery Channel by the International Professional Cycling Teams (IPCT): “the majority of the managers in this association are a bunch of hypocrites because, if it is proved that Basso has doped, Discovery would logically apply the ethical code and would dismiss him from the team,” Rubierra said.

Earlier Rubierra expressed his thought about Operation Puerto in an interview with La Nueva España. Rubierra, who is a representative for the riders at the UCI, said: "I give my opinion which is not always that of the majority. I am very worried because in Spain about 50 riders, including foreigners, may lose their jobs. And it will be difficult for them to find a new job, as is the case for Astana, and the disappearance of others like Kaiku and Comunidad Valenciana. Besides, the “Puerto affair” is detrimental to others." Asked if he seees a solution, Rubierra said: "None for the time being. A lot of riders call me and I call others through friendship, but I don’t have the power to influence directors and teams. Furthermore, nowadays technical directors make offers to good riders for less than one third of their contract."

Asked about the outcome of Puerto, Rubierra said: Only the judge knows it. Some riders are accused of doping but they cannot find any proof against them, but still they are prevented to exercise their profession. If it is proved that someone passed the limits, he should be sanctioned, but without dramatizing and making everyone think that in cycling, there are only drug addicts who are gambling with their lives." Rubierra about Jens Voigt: "It makes you sick when you see that Voigt, who represents us in the UCI and who was Basso’s companion, now says that he does not want him to start riding again," Rubierra said. 

Karsten Kroon starts in Egmond

Karsten Kroon will start at the Dutch mountainbike race Egmond-Pier-Egmond. The 30 year old Dutch CSC rider said he did not plan to start at other mountainbike races. Last year the race was won by retired Rabobank rider Erik Dekker. Egmond-Pier-Egmond is a beach race and will take place on January 13.

New outfit for Predictor-Lotto

On Wednesday, the first Predictor-Lotto riders have received their brand new salmon pink -anthracite grey racing garb from song star Laura Lynn, who stays also in 2007 our godmother.

Björn Leukemans and Dominique Cornu were the happy first, and they were very enthusiastic. Some weeks ago, the idea of pink equipment had been received with a few doubts, but the new equipment has shown the opposite.

Equipment sponsor Vermarc has made quite a good job, together with marketing divisions of Predictor and Lotto; the colour combination is really fine, and will be easily seen in the pelotons.

Vermarc has worked at record speed so that, before leaving towards Mallorca for the last training under the Davitamon-Lotto colours.

Besides main sponsors Predictor and Lotto, our other sponsors Brustor, Q8, Ridley, Creyfs, Callant and Vermarc will be very visible on the new jersey.

Absolute newcomer on the jerseys: Skoda will be the car sponsor of Predictor-Lotto for the next two seasons.