Bjarne's Beijing UCI Blackmail Fails

Poor Uncle Bjarne: he played an interesting card last week, announcing that the Tour of Beijing "was worthless".

Well, we all agree with that - cough, splutter, oh, that smog! - but he meant that it wasn't worth sending Contador there, as any UCI points he might win would be wasted if the UCI stood firm on their ruling that post-ban dopers can't accumulate UCI points for their team for two years after the end of their ban.

(It could also be said that it's desperately unfair for Stinkoff to allow their rider - paying Contador the compliment of assuming that he would win - to take points from other riders/teams, for whom a few extra points could make all the difference between keeping their pro-tour status next year, or losing it.)

Although the banned rider is allowed to contribute their points to the National rankings, which is a bit odd, don't you think? Why allow Spain to have an extra 290 points this year, whereas Saxo-Tinkoff banks, who are paying for the team, are denied the points? Very odd. Mind you, does anyone take any notice at all of the country rankings? No, didn't think so.

So what was Bjarne's cunning plan?

He was hoping that the Beijing organisers would put pressure on the UCI to exempt Contador from the 2-year-no-points rule, so that Stinkoff would send him, which would raise the profile of the race.

Alas, Beijing don't seem to care: the no-points-rule still stands, Contador is not going.

Nice try, Bjarne, though.