March 4, 2008 – UCI President Pat McQuaid, who on March 2 attended the Congress of the European Cycling Union (UEC) in Greece, said he was very happy with the decisions taken.
The UEC Congress decided by a large majority to ask the French Cycling Federation (FFC) to refuse authorisation for the Paris-Nice, or any other international cycling race, to be organised outside the regulatory framework of the UCI rules.
The UEC Congress also asked the UCI, for its part, to then undertake a complete review of the UCI ProTour for the 2009 season.
Pat McQuaid said: “This decision shows clearly that the European National Federations want races organised on their continent to respect the rules established by the UCI.” He added, “This is a shot across the bows for anyone who is thinking of breaking away from the established regulatory framework.”