Unibet.com not out of the Vuelta…yet

Dead Collector: Bring out yer dead.

Large Man: Here’s one.

Dead Collector: Ninepence.

Dead Body: I’m not dead!

Dead Collector: What?

Large Man: Nothing. Here’s your ninepence.

Dead Body: I’m not dead!

Dead Collector: ‘Ere, he says he’s not dead.

Large Man: Yes he is.

Dead Body: I’m not!

Dead Collector: He isn’t.

Large Man: Well, he will be soon, he’s very ill.

Dead Body: I’m getting better!

Large Man: No you’re not, you’ll be stone dead in a moment.

Dead Collector: Well, I can’t take him like that. It’s against regulations.

Dead Body: I don’t want to go on the cart!

Large Man: Oh, don’t be such a baby.

Dead Collector: I can’t take him.

Dead Body: I feel fine!

Large Man: Oh, do me a favor.

Dead Collector: I can’t.

Large Man: Well, can you hang around for a couple of minutes? He won’t be long.

Dead Collector: I promised I’d be at the Robinsons’. They’ve lost nine today.

Large Man: Well, when’s your next round?

Dead Collector: Thursday.

Dead Body: I think I’ll go for a walk.

Large Man: You’re not fooling anyone, you know. Isn’t there anything you could do?

Dead Body: I feel happy. I feel happy.

[The Dead Collector glances up and down the street furtively, then silences the Old Man with a whack of his club]

Large Man: Ah, thanks very much.

Dead Collector: Not at all. See you on Thursday.

Large Man: Right.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail 1975

Unipublic, Grand Tour organizer number three, has made it’s decision on Unibet.com. They are almost out. The organizer of the Vuelta a Espana delivered his rebuke of the embattled ProTour team albeit with a velvet hammer.

Victor Cordero laid out the high hurdle required to be invited to the final Grand Tour of the season by saying:

“Unibet is not in our plans, but fortunately, as we are not forced by the rules to give the wildcards on March 1 like last year, we can wait up to three months, until the end of May, beginning of June before we decide. The last word it is not yet said. If Unibet has all its legal problems solved, if it improves the performances and conditions of the other six candidates…it is not Unibet alone, we have six candidatures for riding the Vuelta a España. We will make the decision mainly based on sporting criteria. Up to today, I don’t see Unibet in the Vuelta.”

Let’s take another look. Unibet has to get it’s legal affairs in order. Is he talking about the legal affairs as a result of the Grand Tour snub? Mr. Cordero also said they need to improve their performance. Where? Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-San Remo, Giro dItalia? The ASO and RCS Sport have blocked them out of the most prestegious races of the year so where will they get results?

It looks like Unipublic is trying to make it look like Unibet.com will get a fair shake when the decision has already been made. See you on Thursday I have to go to the Robinson’s.

The more things change, the more they stay the same

Let me get this straight. You know her. She knows you. But she wants to eat him. And everybody’s okay with this? Did I miss something? -Timon The Lion King 1994

Is it just me? Before the “official” start of the season, the sport of cycling was on the brink of self destruction. The UCI threatened to kill the sport rather than give it to the Grand Tours. The Grand Tours decided that ethics ruled their actions. At least that’s what they said when they decided to exclude Unibet.com from their races. But in the last week, when the dust settles we will notice that nothing is settled.

ASO’s (Grand Tour organizer #1) Paris-Nice is taking place and is proceeding as it always has with the sprinters taking front and center. The RCS Sport (Grand Tour organizer #2) start of the season starts tomorrow with Tirreno-Adriatico. All the ProTour teams will be present save Unibet.com. That ethics thing again. But I thought it was a French law that precludes non French gambling advertisement. The fine print of that law said Predictor-Lotto was OK I guess. That’s OK, the Italians must be sympathetic with their French counterparts except their law must also make the exception for FDJeux.com riding on Italian soil. Still with me?

While everyone is smiling or gritting their teeth (I can’t tell), weird things are still out there. Operation Puerto is auditioning for the sequel to “Much ado About Nothing.” In it’s wake, 50 Spanish riders mostly from Continental teams are still unemployed. Ethics keep ProTour teams from hiring riders “implicated” in Operation Puerto. To me that means if you are Spanish and have no money, you are “implicated.” Kind of like when the FBI announces a name of a “person of interest.” This is code to the media for “We have nothing but feel free to ruin their life.”

And about this ethics thing. If Unibet.com was too hot to handle, why give their Giro wildcard spot to Tinkoff Credit Systems? Aren’t they the bad boys of cycling? Their rap sheets would make many a convict blush. And why let Ivan Basso start Tirreno-Adriatico? Isn’t he a person of interest? I mean implicated? Oh yea he is not Spanish and has money. Sorry I keep forgetting.

So what has changed? Riders are still a means to an end. The Grand Tours decide who rides based on ratings. If you are lucky to be on their good side you will do well. If not, prepare to be terminated. Everything is fair game. Operation Puerto never proved anything yet it was the club that ended many rider’s careers and livelihoods.

Forgive me if I am slightly sceptical of you sitting in judgement of riders like Floyd or what you will do with any evidence you may get your hands on from operation Puerto.