TEAMS CONFIRM THEY WILL RACE PARIS-NICE

The teams selected for Paris-Nice have confirmed that they will take part in the race, rejecting the UCI?s call for a boycott of the ASO-run event.

Eric Boyer, the president of the teams association (AIGCP) has confirmed that there was a ?unanimous decision to race Paris-Nice.? which starts on March 9th. Boyer has spent the last two days consulting the teams down to start the first major European stage race of the season.

?When taking this decision we took into account the interests of the teams? sponsors and the riders.? the communique reads. UCI President Pat McQuaid has been informed of the decision, and a meeting between the UCI and AIGCP will be held early next week ?to try and resolve this crisis.?

The teams refusal to go along with the UCI?s call for a boycott - and doing so en masse as well - means that the stand-off between cycling?s governing body and the sport?s biggest organiser, ASO, remains deadlocked.

However, the UCI has apparently warned that riders taking part in Paris-Nice could damage their chances of going to the Olympics. There have also been reports that the UCI may sanction teams for taking part.

The UCI did not specify exactly what those sanctions could be, though. But whatever those sanctions are, they will be considered the next step in a bitter conflict that looks to be further than ever from reaching a long-term solution.