MTN Pro Continental 2013

Regarding the Continental, surely there'd be too many to list, no?

Off the top of my head, I can list Nippo, Rts, Terrengganu, Ukyo, Tabriz (in whatever form they be), Azad University Cross, Astana continental, Aisan, Shimano, Utsonomiya Blitzen, OCBC, Drapac, Genesys, and many more in the Asian tour alone.

UCI Pro Tour 2012
AG2R La Mondiale
BMC Racing Team
Euskaltel-Euskadi
FDJ-Big Mat
Garmin-Sharp
Katusha Team
Lampre - ISD
Liquigas-Cannondale
Lotto Belisol Team
Movistar Team
Omega Pharma - QuickStep
Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
Pro Team Astana
Rabobank Cycling Team
RadioShack-Nissan
Sky Procycling
Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank
Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team

So AG2R drop down RaNT disappears

and Confidis and Europcar come up with Argos in the running but missing out imo

The interesting one is when or whether PBR restart their plans to be in the Continentals. THe RWC last year fliped them up sponsorship wise, and completely understandable given the stature of that tournament there. So, will they want to come back at the first chance or will  they look to keep costs low? And if they're not in the Continental list, how will they hold on to any of the Crosby likes.

UCI Pro Tour 2012
AG2R La Mondiale
BMC Racing Team
Euskaltel-Euskadi
FDJ-Big Mat
Garmin-Sharp
Katusha Team
Lampre - ISD
Liquigas-Cannondale
Lotto Belisol Team
Movistar Team
Omega Pharma - QuickStep
Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
Pro Team Astana
Rabobank Cycling Team
RadioShack-Nissan
Sky Procycling
Team Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank
Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team

So AG2R drop down RaNT disappears

and Confidis and Europcar come up with Argos in the running but missing out imo

This is how I see the WT in 2013 too. I know there are lots of criteria that apply, but on pure personal subjectivity...

Cofidis has made noises about injecting more cash.

Europcar has to be a shoo-in if it wants it. I could see how the team managers might not be so bothered - they get invites to all of the races at which they traditionally excel, while they would be no longer able to compete in some of their local favourites - but it's a big sponsor that's going to want more coverage.

Argos has not done enough to warrant a bigger slice of the pie, in my opinion. It's the team's first season, true, but the majority of it was the same as Skil-Shimano and but for Kittel and a sprinkling of Degenkolb, there's not much else to see here.

I don't see how RadioShack's bosses can justify staying in the WT, unless it's 100% about cash, in which case we have seen plenty of evidence that all is not well there either. This week, Team Becca has lost a sponsor and is now scrambling to bring in new sponsors. With Andrew and Fuglschlang gone, Monfort probably wide open to offers after a decent Tour spent mostly ignoring his dom duties, Paulinho ditto on offers, Franklin and Bruyneel on the ropes and Cancellara facing another season of riding effectively alone in the Classics, there is no WT justification beyond the usual Cranky's Retirement Home ship of fools led by Kloeden, Horner and (ancient) friends. So unless Rast and Zaugg can sweep the remaining Classics, it's goodnight Luxembourg and, for some of us, good riddance.

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=56724

GT

On Thursday November 1 is the deadline for the International Cycling Union (UCI) to formalize the ranking of Sporting Merit and knows that teams get an automatic berth to the 2013 WorldTour. Argos-Shimano and Saxo Bank-Bank Tinkoff are the two sets that are played in a place in the elite since AG2R-La Mondiale and Euskaltel-Euskadi, with its signings, should be in the top 15 and will therefore in the First Division in 2013.

As can know BiciCiclismo , the classification is as follows: 14 º AG2R-La Mondiale, Euskaltel-Euskadi 15th, 16th Argos-Shimano, Lotto-Belisol 17 º, 18 º FDJ-BigMat and 19th Tinkoff Saxo Bank-Bank. The WorldTour will again be 18 so one is left out.

Three notes to consider: The first 15 have secured a place and Lotto, passed the bureaucratic process that left him out in the initial list, and FDJ have current license, which is a priority and an advantage even with Saxo Bank Alberto Contador points-they do not have to come from a penalty, just like Alejandro Valverde would rise no more positions, and is in the air the new situation of the structure of Rabobank, which like AG2r, Euskaltel- Euskadi, Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank, Argos-Shimano and Garmin-Sharp apply for the license or renewal, though it seems that the UCI has no intention of leaving out the Dutch after the departure of Dutch bank sponsorship.

Contracts already in Lausanne since last Friday and the UCI and can calculate the points for each team with the signings he has done. BiciCiclismo can say that, except surprise, the Euskaltel-Euskadi has achieved its purpose for 15th place, while that AG2R-La Mondiale is 14 º. The WorldTour license is yours, as corresponds to the 15 finishers, although both should go to the Licensing Commission since its license expires in 2012.

Basque and French have conducted an aggressive recruitment policy with the utmost discretion and made possible. Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano has invested heavily with the addition of nine foreigners, Juanjo Lobato (Andalucia), Steffen Radochla (NSP-Ghost), André Schulze (NetApp), Alexander Serebryakov (Team Type 1), Robert Vrecer (Vorarlberg), Jure Kocjan (Team Type 1), Ricardo Mestre (Carmin-Prio), and Ioannis Tamouridis Chaoufi Tarik (SP Tableware). These last two, especially the Moroccan number one in Africa, have given the ticket to oranges. Because Ag2r kept a letter was not known until the last minute, Valentin Iglinskiy (Astana), and Kazakh points surpassed by the minimum to all Galdeano.

In addition, Vincent Lavenu has chosen points and quality, with Steve Chainel (FDJ-BigMat), Yauheni Hutarovich (FDJ - Big Mat), Davide Appollonio (Sky), Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis), Carlos Betancur (Acqua & Sapone), Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago CSF), Julian Kern (Leopard Trek) and Gediminas Bagdonas (An Post-Sean Kelly). The economic stakes of Euskaltel-Euskadi, however, has been to keep their leaders and talents from home, as Samuel Sanchez, Igor Anton, Mikel Nieve, brothers and Gorka Ion Izagirre or Mikel Landa.

By contrast, Lotto-Belisol, which has not even made any transfer, at least officially-and-BigMat FDJ have not entered this war because they have valid license for 2013. In the same situation the Lampre found that, in any case did not want to have problems after his poor 2012 and has secured a place in the top 15 with the signings of Americans Maximilian Richeze (Team Nippo) and Miguel Ubeto (Androni -Giocattoli), second and third respectively in the UCI Ranking America 2012 and Ubeto first in 2011, along with Elia Favilli (Farnese Vini-), Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini), Andrea Palini (Team Idea), Jose Serpa or Roberto Ferrari (Androni-Giocattoli).

So the final spot on the WorldTour must be between the Argos-Shimano and Tinkoff Saxo Bank-Bank of Riis and Contador. The commitment of the Dutch has been Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (MTN) late Friday and recruited several corridors, William Clarke (Champion System), François Parisien (Spidertech), Georg Preidler (Team Type 1) or Thomas Peterson (Garmin- Sharp), and has not given up his philosophy of signing young talent to develop, Nikias Arndt (LKT), Warren Barguil (neo), Luka Mezgec (Sava) and Jonas Ahlstrand (stagiare).

That 16th place and the point spread with Saxo Bank, 19 °, becomes fundamental. The sporting criterion is priority points above the ethical, administrative and economic and normally ranked 16th, 17th and 18th will be chosen, unless the differences are minimal points but neither is the case. Also is sponsor Shimano UCI and the team was invited to the Tour of Beijing, organized by the international body which finally did not run by the political crisis between China and Japan.

The Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank has also made a great effort, knowing that was virtually impossible to qualify in the top 15 because of its lack of results as counter points do not count. Still, Riis-like Ag2r-economic injection with entry points and has signed Tinkoff quality: Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare), number one in Latin, Roman Kreuziger (Astana), Matti Breschel (Rabobank), Nicolas Roche (AG2R La Mondiale), Marko Kump (Adria Mobil), Daniele Bennati (RadioShack), Oliver Zaugg (RadioShack-Nissan) and Jay McCarthy (Team Jayco-AIS).

The final decision of who stays outside the WorldTour and must access the invitations will not be known until mid-November, the deadline is 20 - once the Licensing Commission receives the teams ranked between 16th and 20th place Ranking of Sporting Merit and who want to have the license.

Having to be on the lookout for the wild-card is a clear economic loss-to pay for running and do not receive a fixed WorldTour organizations being athletically-and you can not keep a calendar and programs organized for the staff closed . And races like the Giro require the presence of its star or leaders, if Contador of Saxo Bank. If the Danish team finally runs out, the game of invitations will be complicated especially for the three Grand Tours give only four.

And that is the issue no one knows not even the UCI I think -  :

It seems to imply that Argos are more likely to get it, as the evaluate first and foremost the points and only if there is a very minimal difference will they look into all the ethical, administrative stuff criteria and apparently the difference is not all that minimal (I would have thought it would be) it seems argos will most likely make it.

If they do look into the ethical side of it though Saxo seem to have got a good chance of making it as they did training camp in Israel with Arabs and Jews and all that stuff.. I dont know what Argos do, but their sponsor surely does not help their cause..

It depends as to what is seen as ethical, if it solely concerns this sport Argos would have the upperhand due to their doping position, the manner in which they handle their riders and those kind of things

It's that Spekenbrink. He is a genius. I doubted him at first but he's really stepping up.

They should just give 14 teams WT and leave out Lotto, Euskaltel, Argos, FJD and Saxo. All pretty limited teams that would be unable to field good squads on some major races. Euskaltel can skip the cobbles but do all 3 GT's, Lotto and Saxo can skip the Giro, Argos can skip anything where Degenkolb and Kittel aren't present, and FDJ can do the French races. Better for everyone.

Though of those mentioned above I actually think Saxo have the most complete roster, at least they can be competitive in the classics, all 3 GT's (assuming either Kreuziger or Roche rides the Giro), and some minor races.

Personally I would add Lampre to that list SR...
I fail to see how they add value in a lot of the races they partake in and their cobbled team is certainly no good..

Good point. Perhaps even BMC to be honest, their classics team is great and they have a decent Tour team with TJ and Cadel, but at the other GT's not so much. And Vacansoleil is a bit questionable too, but they should just make the cut.

Less teams in WT, more room for wildcards would be far better imo.

Lampre as a team might not even be there next season.

agreed

if a chemist does not fall out of the sky on them a panda might just flip them up 

agreed

if a chemist does not fall out of the sky on them a panda might just flip them up 

That sounds painful...

Euskaltel World Tour next year!!

http://www.diariovasco.com/v/20121030/deportes/ciclismo/euskaltel-estara-world-tour-20121030.html

Are you kidding me Saxo a limited team :police: This year maybe but not next year

because their classics team and sprint teams are brilliant - come on Florry

Take away Contador and they are a good pro conti team