[RunningForT3]

The new Astana team (based on the defunct Discovery, with Levi, Contador, Johann) was not invited to the Tour de France.<br><br>
WTF??<br><br>
Are they so p***** that they keep winning, even without Lance, and probably even without Discovery??

 

[TriBob]

This was expected.<br><br>
With all the shifts in sponsorship, I guess they are using it as an excuse to stack the chances for a French showing.

 

[wyrillco]

Didn't they not get invited to the Giro as well?<br><br>
I hadn't heard about TdF yet.<br><br>
That really sucks for those guys on the team.

 

[RunningForT3]

I think for one year they should just limit participation to French cyclists. And for diversity's sake, maybe allow one Asian and one African team.

 

[pete_72]

And one clean team??

 

[melistic]

2 years in a row this team has pulled or been pulled for doping.<br>
Maybe the discovery guys should have looked at that before signing on.<br><br>
If I was riding clean and missed a spot a couple years in a row when a dirty team went and mucked it up I'd want them taken out too.<br><br>
I feel your pain but it's kinda fair.

 

[Brandy]

agreeing with melistic.

 

[wyrillco]

But didn't they dump all their dopers, very publicly? I might be wrong...

 

[ForceD]

Yeah but the list of teams invited isn't finalized until sometime in May I think. This sort of thing has happened before.<br><br>
Dan

 

[Cashmason]

And Contador signed with Astana, and he has been implicated, but not convicted of doping.

 

[bcc594]

Contador is implicated in the Puerto affair, Brunyelle (sp?) will only say that none of his guys have ever tested positive, and Astana has quite possibly the worst reputation in cycling. One of their former riders is trying to have doping controls declared as against human rights. If cycling fans want doping taken seriously, then they should support keeping the most dirty teams out of the competition.