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Contador's points count for nation ranking but not for team

By Cycling News

published 18 August 2012

Danish federation president says Riis was aware of rules when he signed Contador

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(Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank) signs on at the Eneco Tour.(Image credit: Sirotti)

Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank manager Bjarne Riis ahead of stage 1 of the Eneco Tour.(Image credit: Sirotti)

Alberto Contador is back in action with Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank.(Image credit: Sirotti)

Last minute checks for Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank).(Image credit: Sirotti)

Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank) is back in the peloton.(Image credit: Sirotti)

Any WorldTour points Alberto Contador wins count for Spain in the nation rankings, but not for Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank in the team rankings. Team owner Bjarne Riis finds that unfair, but the Danish Cycling Federation director said that Riis knew that when he signed Contador.

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Riis and the team are fighting to gain enough UCI points to secure their WorldTour licence for 2013. They have lost Contador's points due to his doping suspension, and any points he brings in for the next two years will not apply towards the team.

Contador returned to racing this month at the Eneco Tour, where he finished fourth overall and gained 60 points. These points do not count for his team, but do count as nation points for Spain.

“It's two different things. Nation rankings are official rankings, the other is an internal tool used by the UCI's sports department to evaluate each team before the World Tour licenses are issued,” UCI spokesman Enrico Carpani told dr.dk.

Riis had previously announced that he would appeal the points ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Jesper Worre, director of the Danish Cycling Union, criticized the UCI for being inconsistent, but also criticised Riis as well. Riis hired Contador, “knowing that the rule applied. So no, I do not think that Bjarne has a good case. He hired a rider who was banned for doping, and there has been a broad consensus to do anything to combat doping.

“The rule established by the teams and the UCI is to try to combat doping as much as possible. Here in the Danish Cycling Union, we still think that it is a very good rule.”