The Paris-Nice, Europe's first major stage race of the season, begins today but the 66th edition may find the riders more frightened of the wrath of the sport's governing body for simply turning up than the 1,230km stretching out ahead of them.
Since organizers Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO) controversially opted to hold the "race to the sun" under the aegis of the French federation and not the International Cycling Union (UCI) the flak has flown in all directions.
The French Cycling Federation was shocked to hear the UCI warn of stiff suspensions, fines and bans from the Olympics and the World Championships for participating in a non-UCI sanctioned event.
For French Federation chairman Jean Pitallier "it is unacceptable that riders should be held hostage in this way."
That cut no ice with UCI chief Pat McQuaid, who on Friday stoked the feud with ASO, accusing them of colluding to form a private league with the backing of the French sports ministry in an article in the French daily Le Monde.
McQuaid accused the ASO of "blackmail," using its Tour de France credentials to force teams to participate in Paris-Nice, though organizers banned Astana, team of reigning Paris-Nice and Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, from competing owing to the team's drug-tainted past despite its recent makeover.
"We have to warn those who love cycling -- accepting the demands of the ASO means transforming professional cycling into a league controlled by the dominant organizer and not an organization representing the collective interest," McQuaid wrote.
Although Tuesday saw the race organizers reach agreement over rider and team contracts for the event after weeks of uncertainty, the riders have asked for written assurances from team bosses that the teams pick up any fines and their salaries if they are suspended.
The UCI stressed in an email sent to the 17 ProTour teams set to take part that the riders risked serious punishments aside from the bans, suspensions of up to six months and fines of anything up to 10,000 Swiss francs (US$9,640).
"Our riders are frightened," admitted Rabobank's sports director Eric Breukink.
Team body AIGCP had to fight to obtain contracts that were acceptable to racers and warned against sanctions as the fallout from the complex contractual dispute between the organizers and the UCI deepened.
ASO also organizes other major races, including the Tour de France.
Eric Boyer, chairman of AIGCP, warned the UCI "it would be a mistake" to suspend any rider taking part and after a Friday afternoon meeting a clear majority of the teams confirmed they would go ahead.
ASO insists the French sports ministry and the French Agency against Doping back its organization, charging that the UCI uses a "closed and arbitrary system" on who may race.
ASO described the UCI threats as "totally out of proportion" and harmed the image already of a sport badly tarnished by a raft of doping scandals in recent years.
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