Riders association calls for meeting with UCI boss

PARIS (Reuters) - The International Riders' Association (CPA) asked on Monday to meet International Cycling Union (UCI) president Pat McQuaid to clarify the disciplinary situation at the end of this week's Paris-Nice race.

Last week McQuaid threatened to kick out of the UCI any teams that take part in the race after a row with organizers Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) over who could compete.

"The context in which the Paris-Nice started (on Sunday) gives way to many uncertainties over the disciplinary sanctions the riders could receive today and in the next races," CPA said in a statement.

"This is why the CPA requires a meeting to be held urgently, in the presence of its Riders' Council, with the president of the UCI as soon as Paris-Nice is finished (on Sunday)."

ASO, who also own the Tour de France, have been at odds with the sport's ruling body since refusing to be part of the UCI ProTour series.

Under ProTour regulations, 18 teams have a guaranteed place in the season's top races but ASO prevented Tour de France champion Alberto Contador and his Astana team taking part in Paris-Nice.

The ASO also barred Astana from the Tour de France because of the team's implication in doping scandals over the past two years.

But the UCI said event organizers could not exclude any ProTour member team.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot, editing by Tony Jimenez)