Bruyneel goes to CAS after UCI suspension

Johan Bruyneel has appealed the timing of his suspension to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) asking for his ban to start on January 1 instead of February 1.

At the end of October the International Cycling Union (UCI) announced the suspension, saying that Radioshack violated regulations by wearing an unauthorised jersey in the last stage of the Tour de France. Bruyneel, the directeurs sportif and the riders were also all ordered to pay a fine. Bruyneel was also cited for publicly insulting the UCI race commissaires, for which he apologised.

“He is not appealing his suspension, but the time of his suspension,” RadioShack spokesman Philippe Maertens told Cyclingnews. “It is a bit strange and not logical that the Disciplinary Commission of the UCI on October 29^th suspended Barredo and Bruyneel for two months, but these suspensions did not run in the same period (Barredo for January-February, and Bruyneel for February-March).”

"I have asked the International Cycling Union to give me the same period. They didn't listen to me. There is no room for interpretation," Bruyneel told sportwereld.be. Therefore I will now go to the CAS. For me it is primarily a matter of principle now. "

If Bruyneel is successful and his ban starts on January 1, he would miss Lance Armstrong's ride in the Tour Down Under, January 16 to 23. Armstrong has said it will be his last race outside the US.