'Paris-Nice row killing the sport'

The dispute between Paris-Nice stage race organisers and the International Cycling Union (UCI) is killing the sport, French champion Christophe Moreau said yesterday.

Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), who also organise the Tour de France, and the UCI have been at odds over the Tour organisers' refusal to join the UCI ProTour - due to a dispute over who competes in their events.

"The threats are big, our whole season can be demolished," Moreau, who has been invited to the Paris-Nice with his Agritubel team, told French sports daily L'Equipe.

"With this conflict, it is cycling that is punished. We are destroying ourselves. It's like we wrap dynamite around our own belly. It's collective suicide."

ProTour rules state that any member team has a guaranteed place in the biggest races of the season while ASO, Vuelta organisers Unipublic and Giro organisers RCS, want to choose the teams participating in their races.

The UCI has warned they may ban and/or fine teams who compete in the stage race which starts on Sunday.

Leading teams asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Wednesday if they could ride in the Paris-Nice without risking sanction.