Celebrate the anniversary of the Paris-Nice

Shortly before noon , the French Thierry Hupond was the first to take the exit at the

prologue of the Paris-Nice, marking the beginning of a new era in cycling, the

demerger leaves UCI wound to the death.

The organizer of the Tour de France and Paris-Nice, ASO, it is considered the big winner in the

power struggle between the leaders of cycling, which had parked the fight against doping.

The director of the Tour, Christian Prudhomme, yesterday gave the impression of being very

satisfied after victory in the prologue of Norwegian Thor Hushovd. He was the real winner.

Despite the threat of harsh sanctions by the UCI (International Cycling Union), many figures

gathered yesterday in the town of Amilly: besides sprinter Hushovd and the third from last World

Stefan Schumacher, bookmarks Cadel Evans, Davide Rebellin, Philippe Gilbert, Damiano Cunego and

Jens Voigt defied the possible penalties.

The rival Prudhomme, the president of the UCI, Pat Mcquaid, who threatened to teams and riders

with suspensions, fines and exclusion from the World Cup and the Olympic Games, must now fight

for the justification for its existence. Hans-Michael Holczer, head of the German team

Gerolsteiner, sided with the Irish on this issue.

"We need to ICU as a government of the sport of cycling, the WSA does not want to draw any racing

series itself," reassured those who fear in the ICU that the organisers autogestionen and form a

calendar of races own style Formula 1. It is now move to the ICU, which could take sanctions

symbolic or more painful.

If the UCI suspended, as threatened, to the participants who took the exit yesterday,

organizers and other professionals have already shown their solidarity. Angelo Zomegnan,

organizer of the Tour of Italy, supported the decision by ASO. The publishing group decided to

put the Paris-Nice under the supervision of the French Cycling Federation (FFC) and thus get rid .

"There are rumors about a league of its own. If teams want to go with ASO, but do so completely,"

said McQuaid, the elimination of a return of the participating teams to the embrace of the

international federation.

"The teams may not have set foot in two doors," he said. After a long dispute, the 20 teams

decided by a majority vote on Friday afternoon in Paris take exit. The UCI had previously opened

disciplinary proceedings against FFC, its president Jean Pitallier-and against Eric Boyer, head

of the organization of professional teams, AIGCP.

McQuaid drove in face of ASO want to win power in cycling. "ASO is a company that is accountable

only to their shareholders. UCI is a democratic organization, supra, which defends the interests

of all those involved in the sport of cycling," said the Irishman, who also spoke of "coercion of

ASO ". That view contradicted the Holczer, who knows nothing of a threat of the type "who is not

participating in the Paris-Nice, nor will the Tour." "The output in the Paris-Nice has no

influence on the right to participate in games," said Holczer.

"My priority is to restore the race to the corridors and on Thursday, in the ascent of Mont

Ventoux, to celebrate the anniversary of the Paris-Nice," said a visibly satisfied Prudhomme,

winner of a battle that leaves the situation in ICU criticism.