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The first thing I noticed was CRC/ PayPal. Big money coming into the sport!
Also no sign of Miami, Peaty or Minnaar in the rider list.
It's true. When I submitted the 3 jersey designs for our riders from ONeal, Royal and Fox, the graphic layout was really close to each other in what our perception of the rule was. Bear in mind this is no easy task with 3 clothing companies trying to produce jerseys to sell and they can't look exactly alike. With the exception that Greg's jersey had neon yellow added, and Steve's had blue added to give an slight individual identity to each rider, UCI didn't think the jerseys met their rule. They declined our elite trade team application based on the jerseys not meeting their criteria.
"All riders within a team are obliged to wear clothing that has identical major sponsor placement, layout and overall look, although the colours of men and women’s outfit can be different. In this case two designs must be submitted".
Certainly this rule can be interpreted many ways. We felt the jerseys were similar in "overall look", UCI did not.
what do you all think of this?
P
Time for the DHWS
Downhill World Series!
Current World Champ cant ride as it would stand right now, this is theyre thinking, look beyond the veil, even if it was a mistake
by someone, who out that person in charge of these decisions, this is the UCi.
I wish the bike companies would unite and form their own DH series. Maybe it could be the Red Bull DH series or something.
They are neither!
This is not road cycling, no where near on the scale, investment by manafactures and outside sponsors/ship, its a whole nuther beast.
I for one think MTB to survive eveyrone to get a share, eg riders, sponsorships, income, mechanics etc, the current MTB way is the way forward, it invites more industry and non industry sponsorship!
Again this is the UCIs job to sell market to all invested in MTB esp industry and sponsorship, but no less or more important than the rest of the players in the game!
Anything else is excuses and imo propoganda and like I said they are interested only in themselves!
Even if this was legitimate, any responsible fair minded organisation would work with said team!
We all know rules and guidlines can be very grey, this is how the UCI and such bodies cover theyre own tender gin swigging leather padded seat soft butts!
So stop sucking up to these Nazis and take a stand or nothing will change, the rest of the teams should form a defensive perimeter around the Syndicate, if you sell out now, it will be u next, devide and conquer!
This is the time for teams and all to stick together regardless of outcome of whether UCI continues to manage our sport, if not good ridance to that attitude, We dont need it, MTB does not need it, if they see MtB as a PiA then man up tell the sport so it can get on with it, EWS proved it can be done, yes it will be hard, stop sucking the Nazi breast and take a leap!
No more excuses for the UCI, makes me sick!
1- The UCI is a bunch of old crusty people who personally hate Steve Peat, Minnaar, Bryceland, all Vital MTB readers, and Pinkbike too...
or
2- The UCI wants all members of any registered teams to have very similar kits (not unlike every single other professional sport in the world)
It's gotta be #1...
Frankly, I applaud the Syndicate gang because they have done exactly that, and bucked the roadie trend. The team is made up a diverse group, all of whom bring unique sponsors. They unite under a bike manufacturer, and still get to help a LARGE swath of industry players. If anyone can point to data that Ratboy's success didn't help Minnaar's sponsors by getting more impressions for the whole Syndicate crew, I would be amazed. A rising tide floats all boats!
If this hurts the Syndicate gang in any way, it would be amazing to see the rest of the WC guys and girls band together and give the UCI the collective finger. Do it, kids. These guys are your friends, and frankly, such an important part of promoting your sport, in years past, and in years to come. It's time to stand up and teach the UCI that this "rag-tag" bunch of "wild" kids have power. Don't let them subjugate your sport, or your opportunities!
Does this mean no Syndicate team at all on the World Cup? Or is it no more fancy team privileges like they've enjoyed in the recent past? If the prior, is there time and is it possible for three world class athletes to find new rides or just race as privateers? If the latter, then it would be great to see them race from the farthest muddiest part of the pits to take another championship. Vot Pomp UCI?
We are disappointed that the Santa Cruz Syndicate was denied trade team status. We really wanted things to work out and we worked very hard with Fox, O'Neal and Royal to have them conform to a Syndicate template to create unity in the graphic layout, yet allowing each company to put their own twist on the design to try to retain a little bit of individuality for their brand. We feel we achieved an "overall look."
It is because of the Syndicate that the rule exists as written rather than making the jerseys identical for the teams. We've been very grateful in years past that UCI made this rule more lenient to accommodate us and that we have been granted the trade team status each year. This year UCI felt the jerseys didn't have an overall look. It is up to them to make rules and interpret and enforce, or grant wiggle room within the rule, and they have done this in the past for us. It simply is a case of us not fitting the UCI perception of what the rule means to them at this time. I'm sure there will be people who agree and disagree with their stance, and that is okay. We simply couldn't take the color off Greg and Steve's jersey to meet their request.
UCI's rule:
All riders within a team are obliged to wear clothing that has identical major sponsor placement, layout and overall look, although the colours of men and women’s outfit can be different. In this case two designs must be submitted.
For us not to be an elite team is unfortunate and I like to look at the positive side. We will pay more for tech space, but that money we pay will go directly to the race promoter and help them, rather than getting the 80m2 space for free that we get by being a trade team. We won't be in a premiere location for tech space, but Devinci and Giant will be in the same boat as us, as far as I understand. So fans will have to seek us out! However I think Ratboy will be easy to find!
We obviously won't get points towards a team overall, but downhill is an individual sport anyway, so I'm not bothered by this. That, and we don't have a girl on the Syndicate, so we would have a tough time earning points to be the top trade team. We will have to have the riders' federations enter them rather than being able to use the nice online entry system that UCI has for trade teams. This is what we did before trade team status so we just go back to the old ways. We will miss the rainbow passes that help get us access to crucial work areas where we need to be.
All and all we will be okay without the trade team status, but we will miss the nice benefits and would have preferred to remain a trade team.
The SCB team has ghetto easy ups and zip tie held up sides any way they will fit right in next to Eddie masters and co on the third level.
At least Santa Cruz spend their money where it counts bike design and rider salaries. FTW
You guys need to fix this.
On the other hand, the UCI strikes again.
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