2013 List of WorldTour Teams

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Astana
BMC
Cannondale
Lampre-Merida
Omega Pharma-Quick Step
ORICA GreenEDGE
Sky
Vacansoleil
Movistar
AG2R La Mondiale
Euskaltel Euskadi
Blanco ProCycling (former Rabobank)
Garmin-Sharp
Argos-Shimano
Saxo-Tinkoff
FDJ
Lotto Belisol
Radioshack-Nissan

Katusha misses out, UCI doesn't bother to tell anyone why.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Katusha threatening to go to the CAS over this, they also played the race card. This is just baffling from the UCI and is extremely unprofessional, especially considering that they have offered no explanation to either Katusha or the public. It pretty much confirms that they are a joke.

 

[monty1104]

Unbelievable. Rodriguez finished top of the individual rankings and outscored 7 whole teams on his own. Katusha finished second on the team rankings only behind Sky. They clearly meet all the criteria so there must be some other reason.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Exactly, but the UCI don't bother telling the team or the public what that reason might be. Pathetic.

 

[Freakie]

The bleeding carrots get a spot but not Katusha? Bizzare!

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Euska sold their soul, and their buses to get that licence.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/euskaltel-euskadi-settles-team-bus-transfer

4, 5 days and still no reason for Katusha's omission has been forthcoming.

Rabo team has been named until they get a naming sponsor: Blanco ProCycling.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Very strange about Katusha's omission, there's obviously something more than meets the eye. Though, both Argos and Saxo both deserve to be in so half glad that both of them don't miss out.

 

[monty1104]

Very strange about Katusha's omission, there's obviously something more than meets the eye. Though, both Argos and Saxo both deserve to be in so half glad that both of them don't miss out.

This is true. Going on talent, any of AG2R or FDJ should miss instead of Katusha, and results wise, Euska, Lampre or Vacansoleil could have missed too, although at least Euska had the golden one inside the top 10 individual rankings.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

This is true. Going on talent, any of AG2R or FDJ should miss instead of Katusha, and results wise, Euska, Lampre or Vacansoleil could have missed too, although at least Euska had the golden one inside the top 10 individual rankings.

Those two are in because they're French. FDJ is effectively the french national team, have the young hope of French cycling (Pinot). They've also both had large transfers so they are mucking around in the points.

Maybe Katusha's omission is something to do with doping, seeing they are one of the more 'suspect' teams?

 

[monty1104]

Those two are in because they're French. FDJ is effectively the french national team, have the young hope of French cycling (Pinot). They've also both had large transfers so they are mucking around in the points.

Maybe Katusha's omission is something to do with doping, seeing they are one of the more 'suspect' teams?

Yeah I realise the 2 French teams will always be there. They aren't there on merit though.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/katusha-appeals-worldtour-exclusion-to-cas

Katusha have gone to CAS. No chance that it is doping related if they are willing to do that. UCI still not telling the fans anything. It has been a week now.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

It's slack by the UCI. They've been going downhill.
It seems like they don't want to bow down to the pressure of picking from two teams, one which has probably the best rider in the world and the other which has probably two of the best 10 sprinters in the world (Kittel, Degenkolb).

So they just chuck out a team with Rodriguez, probably the best pure climber in the world.

Doesn't make sense.

Good on Katusha for going to the CAS.

The Scoring system is already tainted enough as it is, but they themselves are just devaluing it if they ignore it completely when choosing teams.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

I hate how they have introduced this shitty Ranking points system, which is costing domestiques their careers for riding for the team but not getting any points themselves, and then the UCI completely ignores it anyway when handing out licences.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

I hate how they have introduced this shitty Ranking points system, which is costing domestiques their careers for riding for the team but not getting any points themselves, and then the UCI completely ignores it anyway when handing out licences.

I completely agree. There is a billion better ways to do this. Teams look to recruit point-scoring duds in continental tours (didn't Lotto-Belisol recruit some Iranian rider this year just to make the WT?) rather than building a strong team.

Another issue is the talk about rider transfers - an entire team works for one rider's points, and that one rider can transfer and take all the points with them. That is shocking!

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

So liquigas-Cannondale has become just Cannondale ? Are they dropping the lime green? There goes having to drink anytime a commentator calls them "Leeky Gas"

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Yep, and they are no longer an Italian team. They are now American. It is quite sad.

 

[lemon chicken]

The chinese fakes arent gonna have much trouble copying the Blanco kit.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

This article has pictures of all the kits for 2013.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/2013-worldtour-jerseys-18-ways-to-avoid-blending-in

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

CAS grant Katusha a World Tour licence. Good decision, cop that UCI. Purito should stay there now, to be seen if UCI drop a team off the list or go with an extra World Tour team.

 

[monty1104]

CAS grant Katusha a World Tour licence. Good decision, cop that UCI. Purito should stay there now, to be seen if UCI drop a team off the list or go with an extra World Tour team.

Any reasoning behind it?

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Not yet, will be released in a few minutes. I suspect it will be along the line of "the UCI is stupid."