Milram left off Paris-Nice start list

ProTour squad Team Milram was left off the list of starting squads posted Thursday for the 2010 Paris-Nice race organised by Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO). The team has been assured it will be invited to ASO's other races, according to team general manager Gerry van Gerwen.

ASO informed the German ProTour team of the news on Thursday, but at the same time ASO assured the team it would be invited to its other races which include Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogen-Liège, Dauphiné Libéré and the Tour de France.

"Jean-François Pescheux of the ASO informed me of the decision over the phone. But he also guaranteed us a starting permission for all other ASO races," said van Gerwen.

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"In all the ASO races, different teams shall get a chance to prove themselves worthy of getting one of the much sought-after wild cards for the Tour de France," he said. "This year, there are more high-class teams vying for a place at the Tour than ever before."

"Naturally, it's disappointing for us, but of course we have to respect the ASO's decision. But it also means that we have to find an alternative racing program to Paris-Nice and revise the riders' schedules for the next races."

The first 17 teams of the 2009 season's International Cycling Union (UCI) rankings will start Paris-Nice this year along with three additional French teams and two wild card teams.

Team Milram will next head to the Tour of Qatar from February 7-12 and the Tour of Oman from February 14-19, both organised by ASO. Other races currently on the squad's planned program are the three Grand Tours, the traditional Classics and the five 'monuments of cycling'.