Unibet.com cycling team to disband
16/08/2007 |
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The Unibet.com cycling team will disband at the end of the year after losing its main sponsor.
The decision by the Swedish gambling company Unibet to quit funding the outfit follows a drawn-out dispute with French race organizers, who refused to invite the team because France bans foreign gambling advertising.
"We expected it. The riders are free to look for a job with other teams," team general manager Koen Terryn told the VRT news network on Wednesday.
Unibet.com was stopped from taking part in this year's Tour de France, and was also banned from the Paris-Nice road race.
Both the International Cycling Union, or UCI, and European Union regulators have supported the Unibet.com team in the dispute, but have failed to persuade French race organizers to change their minds.
Terryn criticized the Amaury Sports Organization, which runs the Tour de France, for excluding the team from the race.
"We're the victim of the steps taken by the ASO," he told VRT.
The decision comes five days after the Discovery Channel team announced it would also disband at the end of the season. Discovery, Lance Armstrong's old team which won this year's Tour de France behind Spaniard Alberto Contador, said the recent doping scandals in the sport has made it difficult to attract new sponsors.
On Monday, UCI president Pat McQuaid also blamed top race organizers for scaring away sponsors.
"If sponsors aren't guaranteed their team can race, they won't commit to the sport," McQuaid said.
Unibet on Wednesday released a disappointing earnings report that missed market expectations, and Chief Executive Petter Nylander said the cycling team's problems had added to the company's legal costs.
"Despite increased activity from the EU Commission, short-term the resistance remains on a national level," Nylander said. "Amongst other things this has adversely affected the Unibet sponsored cycling team."
Unibet.com's Matteo Carrara of Italy finished fourth overall in this year's Tour de Suisse.
(Source: www.globesports.com)
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