Lance Armstrong’s RadioShack team complained of unfair treatment Monday after being refused an invitation to take part in the Spanish Vuelta.
The Vuelta organizers announced the 22 teams that will compete in this year’s race. Sixteen teams were pre-selected under an agreement between race organizers and the International Cycling Union (UCI), including Astana, Quick Step and Euskaltel-Euskadi. Another six received invitations: Andalucia-Cajasur, Xacobeo-Galicia, Cervelo TestTeam, Team Sky, Katusha and Garmin-Transitions.
RadioShack was the most prominent absentee.
PHOTO: EPA
“They told us we were not selected because other teams were better in their eyes. We are not happy about it,” team spokesman Philippe Maertens said. “If you’re not invited to a party, you cannot go to court to say ‘Hey, I want to be at that party.’ It’s not fair, it’s not logical ... That’s life.”
Armstrong and RadioShack are currently competing in the Tour of Switzerland.
Seven-time Tour de France winner Armstrong was not expected to be available to compete in the Aug. 28 to Sept. 19 Vuelta because he will be attempting to win the French race again this year, but other teammates would have competed in Spain.
The RadioShack team also includes 2010 Dauphine winner Janez Brajkovic, Levi Leipheimer and Andreas Kloden.
Team manager Johan Bruyneel reacted angrily to the omission, saying it’s “high time for ‘professional’ cycling to become professional … in cycling there are three parties: UCI, organizers and teams/riders,” he said in a statement released by the team.
“Unlike in other professional sports, the teams and riders are the main actors who are never heard. I will fight for our rights and for other things that rightfully belong to us but we never get. There is an abuse of power. Some organizers take away the hunger of potential sponsors to invest in our sport. It is unjust that a new sponsor, coming into cycling with a lot of enthusiasm, is not rewarded for their financial input. For me, it is hard to explain to my sponsor that 21 other teams are apparently better than us. Especially when it isn’t true,” Bruyneel said.
The Vuelta is considered among the world’s top three multi-stage races, along with the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia.
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