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jerk
03-02-2006, 09:27 PM
Tour de France wildcards announced
One French and one Spanish team have made it into the selection to participate in the 2006 Tour de France. Race organiser ASO announced on Thursday, March 2, that Continental Pro teams Agritubel and Comunidad Valenciana will line up their riders alongside the 20 ProTour teams in the next Grande Boucle.

were they looking for the two worst continental pro teams? why would they have picked those two awful outfits? there are at least 30 more deserving teams than those two pathetic outfits....picking wildcard teams for the tour in the first week of march is mp anyway.

what's the deal?

jerk
gone
03-02-2006, 09:31 PM
were they looking for the two worst continental pro teams? why would they have picked those two awful outfits?
jerk

I'm with you, I don't get this at all. Last few tours the wildcards seem to be either no hope French teams or no hope continental teams.
Grant McLean
03-02-2006, 09:33 PM
what's the deal?


They are French. Between cigarettes and politics, who has time to
find out which teams they should really invite.

-g
classic1
03-02-2006, 09:37 PM
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2006/mar06/mar03news

Neither team will add anything to the race. Selle Italia, Panaria or Unibet to name just three teams would all have been more exciting choices.
jerk
03-02-2006, 09:42 PM
in terms of early season results and roster clearly unibet deserved a spot. valencia the jerk can let slide, but agributel is awful; they'd have been better off giving selle italia or ceramica panaria or chocolade jacques the ride...

jerk
BumbleBeeDave
03-02-2006, 09:45 PM
. . . There was just an announcement of the wild card teams for the VUELTA, fer' Pete's sakes!

Is this some new part of the Pro Tour process? Or part of the dispute between the Grand Tours and the UCI? Maybe I have amnesia, but I just don't remember these wild card teams being announced this early before.

BBD
Andreu
03-03-2006, 02:29 AM
get a grip.
There are only maybe three or four teams that the Protour/UCI care about, the rest are just cannon fodder.
A
William
03-03-2006, 04:33 AM
....picking wildcard teams for the tour in the first week of march is mp anyway.

what's the deal?

jerk

Advertising...keeping the tour on your brain when it's five months out. :rolleyes:


William
jeffg
03-03-2006, 06:26 AM
IMHO. Oh, and they suck, too
Elefantino
03-03-2006, 06:48 AM
When you're picking the last two teams, it's all about color. CV and Agriwhatever are both clad in beautiful teal.

Lime green is obviously out this season. Sorry, Unibet. And sorry, Baden Cook.
sspielman
03-03-2006, 07:26 AM
Comunidad Valenciana definitely deserve to be there. They have more points than the bottom 5 pro tour teams without even getting an invitation to most of the big races...AND they will actually bring GC riders (David Bernabeau will do VERY well there) as opposed to about HALF of the protour teams.....no wonder the grand tours have gotten so lame. Unibet also deserved an invitation, but their best bet is to apply for pro tour status at the end of this year....
LegendRider
03-03-2006, 07:41 AM
The question is: Do the Tour organizers have an obligation or "right" to favor French teams in an effort to support French cycling - which is clearly in a major slump. A ride in the Tour keeps French sponsors happy which, in turn, keeps French riders employed.
Tom
03-03-2006, 09:02 AM
The question is: Do the Tour organizers have an obligation or "right" to favor French teams in an effort to support French cycling - which is clearly in a major slump. A ride in the Tour keeps French sponsors happy which, in turn, keeps French riders employed.

Well, it does sell stuff - guy gets in front of the cameras and flames out in ten minutes that's all they need. On the one hand it'd be great to have a barn burner of a race between a dozen powerful teams but on the other hand it is their race on their roads so they can do what they want to bring the money in and keep it going, IMPAUMO.
Dr. Doofus
03-03-2006, 09:43 AM
the pro tour will die

the grand tours are taking steps to do it their way

"their way" includes picking teams based on previous participation, politics, sponsor interests, national pride, and other yummy considerations


yawn
Fixed
03-03-2006, 09:45 AM
bro they may have to pay to get in soon cheers :beer: