UCI re-confirms that Contador's points won't count for Saxo Bank
Spokesman says the matter is not up for discussion at UCI board meeting
The UCI is standing firm that any points Alberto Contador earns for Team Saxo Bank in 2012 and 2013 will not count towards the team's ranking. A UCI spokesman said that the issue is not up for discussion.
Contador's doping-related ban ends in August, and it has already been announced that he will re-join Saxo Bank.
Bjarne Riis apparently thought that the matter would be discussed at today's UCI board meeting in Salzburg, Austria, but UCI spokesman Enrico Carpani denied that.
“The matter with Contador is not on the agenda, and there are no plans to change anything in relation to what we previously announced,” he told tv2sport.dk.
“Just because the rule is discussed, it does not mean that the rule is changed. There are different opinions about it here, but the rule still applies.”
The UCI points are used to determine the level of a team's licence. Currently Saxo Bank is ranked last of the 18 WorldTour teams. The rule went into effect after Contador was found to have violated the anti-doping rules, and so Riis argues that it does not apply to him. He has previously indicated that he is willing to take the matter to the Court of Arbitraiton for Sport.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!