Team Katusha puzzled at 2013 WorldTour exclusion
The 2012 season has been full of surprises, the doping of Alberto Contador followed by the biggest drug cartel in the history of the sports i.e., of Lance Armstrong, but what happened to Team Katusha is definitely the biggest shock of the 2012 season.
The Russian team rode brilliantly throughout the season and managed to claim the second overall position after the UCI World Tour team’s rankings with an impressive number of UCI points.
However, the team’s being denied from the UCI World Tour status is most definitely the biggest shock of the 2012 season and unfortunately it is Team Katusha that who has faced all the loss.
The team claimed the second overall position after the UCI World Tour team’s rankings with a total number of 1273 UCI points.
Joaquim Rodriguez helped the team with as many as 692 points alone as he topped the UCI World Tour Elite Men’s rankings but even his stack of UCI points went down the drain as UCI granted Team Saxo-Tinkoff with the status, the team altogether managed only
401points.
The irony is that neither the team management nor the staff members have any idea behind the decision taken by the management as stated by the UCI itself.
"At present moment, Katusha Team has no information regarding the reasons for the decision of the UCI to reject the request from the team for registration in first division. Team management, riders and staff are extremely surprised by the lack of justification
for such a decision made by the UCI," It said in a statement.
"Thus earlier the team, which possesses rider No.1 in the world and has finished the season in second place in the UCI World Tour ranking, was informed that it satisfies all possible criteria required for participation in the first division," said Katusha.
The final World Tour teams for the season ahead are as under,
Current licence holders approved on Nov. 2
Astana Pro Team, BMC Racing Team, Cannondale, Lampre – Merida, Omega Pharma – Quick, Step Cycling Team, ORICA GreenEDGE, Sky Procycling, Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team and Movistar Team
Licences issued following Nov./Dec. commission meetings
Team AG2R La Mondiale (2013-2016), Team Euskaltel Euskadi (2013-2016), Former Team Rabobank (2013-2014), Team Garmin Sharp (2013-2014), Team Argos–Shimano (2013-2016) and Team Saxo – Tinkoff (2013-2014).
Licences issued for 2013
Team FDJ, Team Lotto Belisol and Team RadioShack-Nissan.
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