I'm quite shocked actually, and not convinced that Tyler is guilty of doing anything.

Hamilton officially sacked

The embattled Phonak team officially sacked alleged doping suspect Tyler Hamilton on November 25, hoping their "good faith" decision would persuade the UCI to issue the Swiss team a license for the 2005 season's ProTour. Survey says? Denied!

The UCI's licences commission announced Tuesday a firm anti-Phonak ruling, barring the team from next year's inaugural ProTour, the new Super League of cycling.

One of most prolific squad's in the pro peloton, Phonak was stripped of its lustre in 2004, haunted by doping allegations involving three of its riders:

Former world champion Oscar Camenzind, Athens Olympic time-trial champion Hamilton and Vuelta a Espana runner-up Santiago Perez.

Camenzind's contract was summarily terminated in August upon revelations of the Swiss rider's recourse to EPO use.

Phonak, however, was more reticent in the cases involving Hamilton and Perez, offering the riders a vote of confidence and assembling an independent panel of experts to contest allegations of blood doping.

"The attitude of this team's management to these revelations... arouses serious reservations," the UCI's licences commission said Tuesday in a written judgment against Phonak.

Both Hamilton and Perez have repeatedly -- and adamantly -- proclaimed their innocence and Hamilton's Olympic gold medal was given a reprieve after the American's Athens "B" sample was mistakenly frozen and rendered "non-conclusive."

Phonak's belated decision to proceed with the sacking of Hamilton did not influence the UCI, its commission stating it could only consider the content of Phonak's initial ProTour application, which, of course, listed both Hamilton and Perez as part of its 2005 team roster.

The UCI's ruling to exclude Phonak from the ProTour is "definitive," but Phonak still has the option of taking its case before the International Court of Arbritation for Sport.

The Swiss squad is expected to issue an official statement later on Tuesday.



Eurosport - AT - 30/11/2004

I am probably one of the few people who enjoyed this information. The pro tour is crap. It shoudl be set up on relegation promotion system like the rest of European sports. This Pro Tour may wreck the nascent US pro cycling scene.

I enjoyed the part about Hamilton being booted from the team, but I don't necessarily agree with your comments regarding the tour. First of all, I don't know the lad personally, but I find Hamilton to be a self-indulgent, shifty-eyed twat. He whined for not being in the spotlight while on Lance's team, and subsequently left to guide the Phonak squad. Touring demands 'team' dynamics, and Tyler has proven over recent years that he's a rabid competitor that will stop at nothing to win for himself. Or better yet, to beat his nemesis, Armstrong. Even if it spells transfusion.

Why is the pro tour crap, Pagoda? Isn't 2005 the inaugural season? And what's the 'relegation promotion system' in European sport? I'm not trying to be smart, I just haven't the faintest what system you speak of.

And why might this affect the future of US pro cycling? In the last decade alone, LeMond & Armstrong have virtually owned all major racing titles.

Bottom line: T. Hamilton is the U.L. Washington of cycling.