Bjarne Riis to challenge UCI rule on cyclists returning from suspensions
Bjarne Riis of Team Saxo Bank is ready to challenge the UCI rule related to the cyclists returning after serving the ban period.
Current law suggests that points earned by any rider coming back from suspension will not count towards the team’s total for a period of two years.
Riis noted that he will not accept the rule at any cost, “it is as if Lionel Messi returned to play for Barcelona after a suspension and scored goals, but his goals would not count”, he told politiken.dk.
Contador was banned from professional cycling in February 2012 after the jury handed him a two-year ban for using clenbuterol at the Tour de France 2010.
The judges were convinced that the Spaniard used the substance during the 2010 edition of the Tour de France.
Alberto will now return to professional cycling on August 5th 2012 and will miss all the main cycling events of the year.
The only major race he will participate this year is the Vuelta a Espana and the Spaniard has already started training for his home Grand Tour.
70 % of the total points earned by the team came through Contador and his disqualification raised lot of suspicions on team’s World Tour status.
UCI Licence Commission allowed the Danish team to continue at the top level of sport with no objections.
Riis is not willing to accept that the team is paying such a huge sum of amount for someone whose points will not be added towards the team’s total.
"If we have as expensive a man as Alberto on the payroll, we must be able to use him to fulfil our ambitions, one of which in particular is to be a part of the WorldTour”.
"We are currently engaged in a thorough investigation of how we should proceed. I know about the UCI's stance, and now it's up to us to demonstrate that it is not right”.
However, UCI president Pat Mc Quaid is content that the organisation follows the correct procedure in accordance with the current rules.
The Danish team currently holds the last position at the UCI World Tour Rankings as of current World Tour rankings.
It has only secured a total number of 32 UCI points while Team Omega Pharma-Quick Step is leading the category with 547 points to its credit.
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