Teams defy Paris-Nice ban

Rabobank, the team of former world champions Oscar Freire, Gerolsteiner, T-Mobile and France's Cofidis, Bouygues Telecom and Francaise des Jeux have said they will be at the start of the week-long race at Issy-les-Moulineaux in the Paris suburbs on March 11.

The UCI had written to all 20 teams on its Pro-Tour after a dispute with the organisers of the Paris-Nice, Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), telling them that it no longer recognised the race and ordering them not to enter.

The dispute dates back to January when the ASO, who also organise the Tour de France, turned down the application of Swedish team Unibet.com, a member of the Pro-Tour's elite.

Teams use the Paris-Nice as preparation for Pro-Tour classics such as the Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, the Fleche Wallonne and the Amstel Gold Race.

"Riders can't be the hostages of a political fight. We will contest the Paris-Nice," said Cofidis team manager Eric Boyer.

Others teams said they were still hoping for an agreement between the two bodies.

UCI officials asked for a meeting with ASO earlier this week to try to settle the issue but no agreement has been found.

The UCI can refuse to send commissioners to the Paris-Nice but the federations of France, Italy, Spain and Belgium have said they are prepared to help the ASO with the race organisation.