LEFEVERE THREATENS TEAM ACTION OVER PARIS-NICE

Quick Step team manager Patrick Lefevere has spoken out against the UCI-ASO spat and warned the sports governing body and the leading race organisers to find a solution or face action from the teams. Speaking after the UCI sent a threatening letter to the 20 ProTour teams, warning them not to ride Paris-Nice, Lefevere made it clear he will not be intimidated.

?I?m tired of it all. I hate this mess. They have to understand they?re playing with our future,? Lefevere said in California after seeing Paolo Bettini win stage four to San Luis Obispo.

?They always put the hot potato in our hands. We?ve been struggling against doping for a year and now the UCI and big Tours organisers are fighting in the middle of the road. For what? We?re in the same boat, in the same sport, we have to work together. I?m ashamed for the people who don?t understand this.?

?We?ve reached the point where we have to make a decision. We?re going have a meeting next Friday in Brussels with all the IPCT teams and perhaps we?ll have to take some hard decisions. We want to be independent from both the UCI and the race organisers. Both of them have to understand that we?re the most important part of cycling. Without the actors there?s no film. They have to understand that cycling has big problems and they?re playing with our future.?