Riis on the ropes

I’ve always had mixed emotions when it comes to Bjarne Riis. In the 16 years since first crossing paths with the 1996 Tour de France winner, he’s always come across as dour, aloof, single minded, moody and not one for simple conversation.

Riis been described by some as "cycling's most boring man", a description I concur with in my experience covering TV cycling as a reporter and presenter.

But is he really all that? Maybe it's a Danish thing or a simple contrast in cultures that I haven't been able to navigate.

Despite that I also see Riis as having many positives (no pun intended). He's a man who has done much for Danish cycling and as a sporting director for one of the WorldTour's most successful squads, Saxo Bank.

Speak to any rider who has worked under him and they'll tell you he's a canny team manager who commands and expects the utmost respect and always receives it.

Riis has been an integral member of the international cycling community for decades, so when his feathers are ruffled it's usually for good reason.

That was the case this week when the UCI reiterated that riders returning from serving a doping sanction cannot have their points considered for two years after their return. The rule, originally ratified late last year, targets the calculation of points for each ProTeam's ongoing WorldTour licence.

To recap. The UCI ranks the teams according to rider points, team points, ethical and financial considerations. In meeting this criteria the top 15 teams gain entry to the next WorldTour season while a further three have to prove their credentials, as GreenEDGE successfully did late last year.

In other words, when Alberto Contador comes back from suspension in August he could win the Vuelta a Espana, but his triumph will count for nothing except bragging rights.

Saxo Bank is not the only team affected by the UCI's ruling. So is Movistar with Alejandro Valverde. But that Spanish squad is in the enviable position of having greater depth, accumulating ranking points regularly this season and as a result isn't under any real threat of missing the UCI cut for 2013.

As Riis pointed out last week, it's comparable to FIFA's three-time Player of the Year, Lionel Messi coming back after a suspension yet he continues to score goals for Barcelona, but the goals don't count.

"We can under no circumstance accept the current rules. It's akin to a player like Lionel Messi serving a violent conduct suspension and after returning having his goals not count for Barcelona (football club)," said Riis.

"Alberto is a very expensive rider for any team to hire and naturally having him on a team and not earning points makes it difficult for a team to remain in the WorldTour."

Now you could argue Riis is motivated by self interest with his Saxo Bank team the wooden spooners of the UCI WorldTour - currently with a grand total of 32 points as a result of two victories by the injured Australian Jonathan Cantwell at the Tour of Taiwan and a recent win by their highest ranked rider, Juan Jose Haedo, at the GP de Denain.

With his suspension coming in May of this year, Contador's two stage wins and second place on the general classification at January's Tour de San Luis were scrubbed (along with every result backdated to the 2010 Tour de France).

Riis also has the support of riders like Karsten Kroon in his crusade against the system. And Kroon isn't just concerned about his livelihood at Saxo Bank, he also noted how the points system affects a rider and teams approach to racing.

"The whole situation with the WorldTour has changed the way of racing. I think a lot of riders would rather go for a third or fourth than try to go for the win," Kroon told Daniel Benson at Cyclingnews. "For me, personally, the win is more important, but of course I get paid by the team and for the team, the WorldTour points are more important."

It's highly likely we will see the demise of Saxo Bank at the end of this season so Riis and Kroon are fighting for their survival and can probably be excused a bit of self interest.

The latest scenario suggests Contador will have no option but to find another team for the 2013 season (rumoured to be Movistar). Disappointing given the solid relationship, faith and support he has received from Riis, and how much Saxo Bank (and CSC before it) has provided in sponsorship down the years.

It really is a ludicrous situation in which the UCI has placed the WorldTour. Let's hope sanity prevails and they overturn their latest ruling and reassess the merits of the points system.

And while I don't really have ambitions of connecting with one of cycling's most complex personalities in the near future, I'll make a special effort to congratulate Riis if he were to win this necessary battle.