Teams deny Paris-Nice participation

The three non-French ProTour teams who reportedly said they intended to ride Paris-Nice in spite of a UCI ban, have all subsequently denied a report published yesterday claiming they would participate.

"This release (...) is not true as far as the Rabobank Cycling Team is concerned," team spokesman Jacob Bergsma told Cyclingnews. Matthias Wieland, Gerolsteiner spokesman, also indicated to Cyclingnews that no decision would be made before the International Professional Cycling Teams (IPCT) meeting on March 2.

T-Mobile's team manager Bob Stapleton took a conciliatory approach: "We want to work with all parties toward a fair resolution. It is essential that the events, teams, athletes, and governing bodies of the sport work together to improve and grow the sport." In California, T-Mobile team director Brian Holmes told Cyclingnews, "It's too early to decide anything. There was a meeting last night with (UCI president) Pat McQuaid, but we didn't go over Paris-Nice. T-Mobile hasn't made any decisions yet. We want ASO and the UCI to come to a resolution first."