September 22, 2006 — The UCI ProTour Council (UPTC) met yesterday in Salzburg (AUT), site of the UCI 2006 Road World Championships.

In the opening of the meeting, the UPTC unanimously reaffirmed its complete conviction in the reform launched in 2005, and took note with satisfaction of the unconditional support expressed last Tuesday by the UCI Management Committee towards the UCI ProTour.

During the 176th UCI Congress which took place today in Salzburg, the National Federations delegates also took note of the excellent global results of the reform, notably concerning the very significant development of the continental circuits calendars (32 new events, +9% new professional teams, +16%, in Europe, approximately +40% in America and in Asia).

Contrary to what its detractors claim, one of the main objectives of the reform was thus achieved.

The relations between UCI and ASO, which represents the three Grands Tours organizers, were the subject of an in-depth analysis from the UPTC.

The most recent attacks from ASO against the UCI ProTour appear to be, as those of the last few years, totally unfounded, and clearly demonstrate that ASO has only one goal – to protect its position of superiority in the distribution of the marketing and TV incomes from organizers (around 70%).

In a letter dated last 12 September, ASO opened a new front in its opposition on the UCI ProTour brand, asking for the registration of its races, as well as those of RCS and Unipublic, on a separate calendar. This request was reiterated in a correspondence dated 20th September, in which the UCI ProTour was defined as “an economic circuit to the service of a commercial brand belonging to the UCI”.

Completely rejecting this interpretation, all parties represented within the CUPT (UCI ProTeams, organizers with UCI ProTour licenses and riders) have decided, unanimously, to maintain their position, and announce their full availability to put forward the question, in the general interest of cycling, to the external arbitration of the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

During the CUPT Meeting in Salzburg, Jens Voigt and José Luis Rubiera intervened in the name of riders, to support the UCI ProTour. Their contribution and discussions were particularly appreciated, notably also as regards the fight against doping and the security of races.

The Fight Against Doping

As far as the fight against doping is concerned, the UPTC has confirmed its firm commitment against this plague, and has noted that the actual regulations, extremely rigorous, do not however enable to react fast enough in a number of circumstances.

It can obviously determine difficult situations from the point of view of image for the cycling, but also a lot of uncertainty for the implied persons.

The CUPT has therefore requested an urgent meeting to be organised in Salzbrug between a CUPT delegation and the President of the Licences Commission, considering the consequences that the doping affairs also have on the allocation of licenses.

At the instigation of the riders representatives, the UPTC also decided to launch a study on the possibility of establishing the obligation for riders to submit themselves for DNA testing, as well as to realize a profile of the physiological potential of every rider, on the basis of which it would be possible to evaluate their performances.

Moreover, the UPTC has declared itself support of legal actions aimed at imposing pecuniary penalties on behalf of all parties involved against riders or others, whose behaviour would have damaged cycling’s , an event, or a teams’ interests.

The UPTC has also expressed its full support to the initiative launched by UCI President Pat McQuaid to perform and audit on cycling, and deplores that the only reaction of the Grand Tours on this subject, was focused on the safety of the duration of their races.

Finally, the CUPT has decided that part of the reserve fund made up by holders of UCI ProTour licenses holders, as well as the contribution of other organizers, would be affected to the realization of these actions.

Besides the 200,000 Euros put at the disposal by this fund, the riders were anxious to participate directly with the realization of these initiatives by increasing their contribution to the UCI ProTour financing which will go from 2% to 4% of the prizes.

Summary

Hereafter is a synthesis of the main decisions concerning the UCI ProTour taken during the CUPT meeting in Salzburg.

Calendar (available at www.uciprotour.com)

For 2007 the same participation rules valid in 2006 will remain in force, which the ASO recognized in its letter of September 20th as the only competence of the CUPT.

Concerning the orientations to adopt as from 2009, the CUPT has decided to create a Working Group which will have to submit concrete proposals during its next session in January.

The CUPT particularly wants to decrease the number of race days (by cutting back the number of events or the duration of certain races, also taking into account the audit which will be done in the coming months), to modify the September calendar, to avoid the concomitance of events, to enlarge the geographic coverage of the UCI ProTour (notably in the UK, Scandinavia, USA) in view of the large success of the Tour of Germany and of Poland.

TV Rights and Production

As of 2009, the TV rights of all organisers with a license will be grouped and sold together with those of the UCI World Championships. While confirming its will to maintain privileged relations with the main hertzien European TV diffusers, the UCPT has decided to create a web chain dedicated to cycling, inspired by www.ucilive.com.

The project for the creation of a TV production company responsible for the production of races of organizers with a license, was equally accepted by the CUPT.

Wild Cards

The CUPT approved the recommendations from its Working Group to introduce as of 2008, a selection of Professional Continental Teams that want to obtain wild cars, on the basis of criteria similar and of the same quality as those applied by the UCI ProTeams license Commission. The number of places awarded will not be fixed, and will depend on the number of teams which suit the criteria. In case of problems during the year, a “wild card” label could be revoked.

Ranking

Only one change will take place in 2007, with the awarding of individual points to each rider of the first 10 teams ranked during the time-trial races of Eindhoven, in order to underline the importance of this event (10 points for each rider of the 1st team, 9 to those of the 2nd, etc). The UCPT also requested that a study be done in 2007 on the table of points awarded during one-day races and stages.