DRB
06-28-2006, 11:47 AM
Astana Würth bound for Strasbourg, but no team presentation
The Astana-Würth team is steadfastly continuing with its plans to ride the Tour de France, regardless of the ASO, the CAS, Operacion Puerto or anything else. The teams cars and buses set out yesterday, while the riders spent the night in Madrid before arriving in Strasbourg Wednesday in time for the scheduled medical tests, Spanish Eurosport reported.
One question, however, is which riders will be participating. According to the news story, the nine riders are Alexander Vinokourov, Andrey Kashechkin, Alberto Contador, Luis Leon Sanchez, Carlos Barredo, Isidro Nozal, Joseba Beloki, Allan Davis and Sergio Paulinho. It had previously been announced that Jörg Jaksche and Assan Bazayev would ride, instead of Barredo and Paulinho.
The team may be counting on outside help in its bid to participate. According to the International Herald Tribune, Kazakh rider Kashechkin, told L'Equipe that the president of Kazakhstan would be protesting the proposed exclusion to French President Jacques Chirac.
"This is going to become an affair of state," Kashechkin warned, citing no sources, and added. "There are some important French investments in our country," according to the IHT.
The ASO says they aren't in. The team says they are. The CAS isn't going to rule until Friday. The circus of the Tour is really going to be a circus this year.
There will be twice a day raids by French police. Journalists will be living in dumpsters used by the teams. The random drug tests will target anyone even mentioned by the press as being dirty.
Its not going to be about the ride this year.
The Astana-Würth team is steadfastly continuing with its plans to ride the Tour de France, regardless of the ASO, the CAS, Operacion Puerto or anything else. The teams cars and buses set out yesterday, while the riders spent the night in Madrid before arriving in Strasbourg Wednesday in time for the scheduled medical tests, Spanish Eurosport reported.
One question, however, is which riders will be participating. According to the news story, the nine riders are Alexander Vinokourov, Andrey Kashechkin, Alberto Contador, Luis Leon Sanchez, Carlos Barredo, Isidro Nozal, Joseba Beloki, Allan Davis and Sergio Paulinho. It had previously been announced that Jörg Jaksche and Assan Bazayev would ride, instead of Barredo and Paulinho.
The team may be counting on outside help in its bid to participate. According to the International Herald Tribune, Kazakh rider Kashechkin, told L'Equipe that the president of Kazakhstan would be protesting the proposed exclusion to French President Jacques Chirac.
"This is going to become an affair of state," Kashechkin warned, citing no sources, and added. "There are some important French investments in our country," according to the IHT.
The ASO says they aren't in. The team says they are. The CAS isn't going to rule until Friday. The circus of the Tour is really going to be a circus this year.
There will be twice a day raids by French police. Journalists will be living in dumpsters used by the teams. The random drug tests will target anyone even mentioned by the press as being dirty.
Its not going to be about the ride this year.