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UCI stands firm on Contador's WorldTour points

By Cycling News

published 27 April 2012

Contador's WorldTour points will not count for two years

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(Image credit: Alberto Contador)

UCI press officer Enrico Carpani awaits the start(Image credit: Luca Bettini)

Alberto Contador enters a press conference on February 7, 2012.(Image credit: AFP)

Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)

The UCI has confirmed that any points Alberto Contador may win the his first two years back from his doping suspension will not count towards his team's ranking in the WorldTour. “That is the rule, and it will be respected,” UCI spokesman Enrico Carpani said.

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“Personally, Alberto Contador wins good points. He may even win the WorldTour. But when the season ends and the sporting evaluation of the teams are made, his points will not be included in the in the accounts,” Carpani told the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

Both the Danish cycling federation and a Danish attorney with experience as an arbitrator at the Court of Arbitraiton for Sport have criticised the UCI's stance. The ruling should not apply in this case as it was adopted after Contador's offense was committed, they said.

Contador is expected to re-sign with Team Saxo Bank, and team manager Bjarne Riis has said he would be prepared to challenge the UCI's point ruling in court.

Carpani did not appear worried. “As we see it, the rule is in order. Therefore we won't look at it again now, just because some Danish lawyers believe that we should do it, or because someone thinks that we will lose a case before the CAS. There were also many who thought that we would lose the Contador case at CAS, but we won.”