Euskaltel-Euskadi will participate in Paris-Nice

By Monika Prell

Like all Pro Tour teams, Euskaltel-Euskadi received a letter from the International Cycling Union (UCI) yesterday, demanding the team not to participate in Paris–Nice, organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO); however, the Basque ProTour team intends on lining up this March 9.

Team Manager Miguel Madariaga noted to Gara, "We promised to participate in Paris-Nice, nobody had said anything, and I always keep my promises. ... I think that it's a shame that ten days before the start of this race they [the UCI] come to the teams and try to put the screws on us. We already have a lot to do, to nominate our teams and to fulfil the requirements of the UCI and the organisers. It is not normal what they do with the teams. May they arrange it among themselves, before they castigate us."

The sport directors Marc Sergeant (Silence-Lotto) and Patrick Lefevere (Quick Step) have also announced that their teams will participate in Paris-Nice. It is expected that the other teams also will take decision in favour of the French race, known as the 'Race to the Sun.'