The Storm is Approaching

Well, if it is a surprise to anyone by now that the UCI and the grand tour organizers don't exactly see eye to eye on certain matters, they probably are the same people who were caught off guard by the sun rising this morning. There has been a long, heated debate going on to try and wrangle the power from each other, that for the most part has been nothing more than a stalemate. This time it seems to have come to a head.
While the teams and riders enjoy the gleeful distance that the Tour of California can provide from the quagmire of European racing, the muck is getting deeper. The UCI sent a letter on Wednesday to all of the Pro Tour teams that for the sake of Unibet.com no one will be competing in Paris-Nice. The "Race To The Sun" has for many been the unofficial start to the new season, but it seems likely that this year will pass by without it unless something drastic changes soon.
This will be a true test to the UCI teams, challenging the strength of their union. Will the French teams whose sponsors rely on these races stay out, can the major squads like CSC, QuickStep-Innergetic, Discovery who look to post big results in big races let one go, are the teams willing to pass on all the races organized by the ASO, RCS, and Unipublic just to stand up for Unibet.com of all teams? Can anyone even name two or three riders from Unibet.com? Because it seems that the organizers certainly have a strong union, and if the trend holds, and the sides don't agree, then what? Is the season opener, The Tour of Flanders? Certainly the Belgian Classics are a mainstay in the cycling world, but will anyone argue that Gent - Wevelgem is worth more than Milan-San Remo?
Well, we will enjoy the rest of the week in California with our heads blissfully in the sand. March will come soon enough.