Astana and High Road Missing from Giro d’Italia Roster

All the rumors during the past few weeks have surrounded The Tour de France potentially leaving Astana out of the big race in July.  We will have to wait a few weeks to find out for sure, but there is big news today about Astana and others regarding the Giro d’Italia.

Giro officials have left four Pro-Tour teams out of this year’s grand tour.  High Road (formerly T-Mobile), Astana, Credit Agricole, and Bouygues Telecom were all snubbed for this year. 

There are many thoughts about why RCS, the organizing body for the Giro, left these teams out.  Astana and High Road are almost definitely punishments for last year’s doping scandals.  Even with new team members, sponsors, and directors, it is evident that race organizers are not willing to take risks on teams that have had problems in the past. 

Astana

I am still unsure how hiring old Discovery riders and directors is a sign that Astana is changing its ways.  It has been well documented that some sort of “medical program” was in place all the way back to the U.S. Postal days.  Astana deserves to be left out of every race this year for trying to pull one over on us.

High Road

 It is a shame that High Road is still being punished for actions of a few unscrupulous riders from last year.  It is obvious that the old T-Mobile squad was at the very least trying to change its ways.  The High Road team is stacked with up and coming young riders, and not being able to see them tackle the Dolomites in Italy is a real shame.

Credit Agricole and Bouygues Telecom

I don’t want to admit that there is some agenda against French teams, but there is no other explanation for these teams being left out.  There have never been any rumors about these teams running doping programs.  In fact, Credit Agricole is considered by many to be one of the clean teams in the peloton.  I sure hope that this is just omission because lack of competitiveness.  Neither team really has a roster that could shake things up in the Giro, so maybe organizers just wanted better equipped teams to compete.  I wouldn’t want this to turn into a France vs. Italy thing when it comes to choosing teams for the Tour de France.

Enough talk about the Giro.  Most people here in the states won’t watch.  Let’s get ready for a fantastic Tour of California!

1 February 2008 | News | Comments