Team Coast cleared to race
By Jeff Jones
The UCI has lifted the suspension on German Division I Team Coast, having decided that the team has fulfilled its obligations with respect to salary payments. The team will thus be allowed to start in this Saturday's Milan-San Remo.
The UCI issued a short press release on Wednesday, stating that, "A thorough examination of documents provided by Team Coast has enabled us to determine that prior conditions set when the team was registered for the 2003 season have been respected. The UCI therefore announces that the suspension of this Team is raised with immediate effect."
When contacted by Cyclingnews, team director Marcel Wüst said that, "We are happy and also we were confident that it would be lifted. From the day we were suspended until today, there was not any payment of any money, so we shouldn't have been suspended in the first place. It took our lawyers a while to explain to the UCI about the taxation issue. There are some taxes that we have to withhold from the riders and give to the German government."
That has been sorted out now, and the riders can start thinking about racing again. "There's not really much more to say," said Wüst. "It was really a situation that was hard to accept, especially for our riders. Basically the team was suspended to protect our riders, and I know from having been a rider and talking to them that the only ones who haven't been protected are our riders."
"They will race Milan-San Remo but with no preparation," he added. "It's not like closing down an office for two weeks. It will probably take at least two to three weeks to get back into form again. Cycling's a sport where you have to fight, you have to battle, and the boys are going to do their best, but I know a 300 km race won't be easy for them. If we have one rider in the front group we'll be happy."
For now, Wüst hopes that the team's problems, which he admits have occurred, are behind them. "We just have to look forward and hope for the best," he said. "Hopefully people will talk about Team Coast in a sport related way. I think Coast hasn't been responsible for most of the trouble we have been in in the last couple of days."
One thing that the team is greatly looking forward to is the return of Jan Ullrich, whose six month suspension for an amphetamine positive will finish on March 23. Despite a threat by his manager to leave the team if the salary problems weren't sorted out, Ullrich will now stay and begin his much awaited comeback to racing.
Wüst said that Ullrich wants to get back into winning form for the Tour de France, although that will probably not be until 2004. "He's thinking of nothing else other than he knows how good it is at the top. It's going to take a lot more training, a lot more suffering, but he wants to be there again," concluded the team director.
Team Coast for Milan-San Remo: Stefan Adamsson, Niki Aebersold, Daniel Becke, Thomas Liese, Fabrizio Guidi, Thorsten Wilhelms, Steffen Radochla and Andre Korff
from Cycling News
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"on your Left"
By Jeff Jones
The UCI has lifted the suspension on German Division I Team Coast, having decided that the team has fulfilled its obligations with respect to salary payments. The team will thus be allowed to start in this Saturday's Milan-San Remo.
The UCI issued a short press release on Wednesday, stating that, "A thorough examination of documents provided by Team Coast has enabled us to determine that prior conditions set when the team was registered for the 2003 season have been respected. The UCI therefore announces that the suspension of this Team is raised with immediate effect."
When contacted by Cyclingnews, team director Marcel Wüst said that, "We are happy and also we were confident that it would be lifted. From the day we were suspended until today, there was not any payment of any money, so we shouldn't have been suspended in the first place. It took our lawyers a while to explain to the UCI about the taxation issue. There are some taxes that we have to withhold from the riders and give to the German government."
That has been sorted out now, and the riders can start thinking about racing again. "There's not really much more to say," said Wüst. "It was really a situation that was hard to accept, especially for our riders. Basically the team was suspended to protect our riders, and I know from having been a rider and talking to them that the only ones who haven't been protected are our riders."
"They will race Milan-San Remo but with no preparation," he added. "It's not like closing down an office for two weeks. It will probably take at least two to three weeks to get back into form again. Cycling's a sport where you have to fight, you have to battle, and the boys are going to do their best, but I know a 300 km race won't be easy for them. If we have one rider in the front group we'll be happy."
For now, Wüst hopes that the team's problems, which he admits have occurred, are behind them. "We just have to look forward and hope for the best," he said. "Hopefully people will talk about Team Coast in a sport related way. I think Coast hasn't been responsible for most of the trouble we have been in in the last couple of days."
One thing that the team is greatly looking forward to is the return of Jan Ullrich, whose six month suspension for an amphetamine positive will finish on March 23. Despite a threat by his manager to leave the team if the salary problems weren't sorted out, Ullrich will now stay and begin his much awaited comeback to racing.
Wüst said that Ullrich wants to get back into winning form for the Tour de France, although that will probably not be until 2004. "He's thinking of nothing else other than he knows how good it is at the top. It's going to take a lot more training, a lot more suffering, but he wants to be there again," concluded the team director.
Team Coast for Milan-San Remo: Stefan Adamsson, Niki Aebersold, Daniel Becke, Thomas Liese, Fabrizio Guidi, Thorsten Wilhelms, Steffen Radochla and Andre Korff
from Cycling News
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"on your Left"