Fuji-Servetto is ready to move on and focus on its preparations for the Vuelta a España after winning the right to participate in this year’s event, according to Fuji Bikes marketing director Karen Bliss. The team received official confirmation by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Friday evening to take part in the final Grand Tour of 2009.
Bliss says the verdict restores the value of the ProTour license held by the team it sponsors. “I am pleased that CAS ruled in favor of Fuji-Servetto,” said Bliss. “As a UCI ProTour team they have the right to race in all ProTour and Historical events. The UCI stood with Fuji-Servetto throughout the arduous legal process. This decision restores the value of owning a ProTour license.
“We know the team is very happy and looks forward to competing in this prestigious event and focusing all of its efforts on racing now that this is behind us,” added Bliss.
The Grand Tour organisers attempted to keep the team from participating in several races this year, including Paris-Nice, Milan-Sanremo, the Giro d'Italia and Tirreno-Adriatico. The team, formerly known as Saunier-Duval, was not allowed in the 2009 Tour de France after last year being kicked out of the race following the EPO CERA scandal with Riccardo Riccò, winner of two stages.
The team was given a late entry into the Giro d'Italia after being initially denied an invitation by organiser RCS Sport.
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Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.
