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Paris-Nice row finally sorted out

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BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Cycling's major teams will be able to compete in the Paris-Nice race without fear of sanctions after the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the race organizers reached an agreement on Monday.

UCI president Pat McQuaid had threatened to punish any team taking part in the week-long race which starts on Sunday after it was dropped by the governing body's Pro-Tour following a dispute with organizers Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO).

"I am happy that the sport has got out of this crisis and look forward to a season where cycling can be the priority," McQuaid said on Monday.

"The agreement, which we have agreed for this season, we can work on and at least everyone is around the table and talking. Most important is that cycling goes on."

In a marathon meeting in Brussels among UCI officials, ASO and the International Professional Cycling Teams (IPCT), it was agreed that the teams could ride unhindered.

"We are going to ride Paris-Nice," IPCT president Patrick Lefevere said following nine hours of talks.

"We have a consensus for the moment that we can live with."

Under the temporary agreement, which extends to the end of the season, all sides will meet once a month with a view to reaching a long-term solution by Sept. 21, five days before the start of the world cycling championships.

It averts the potential crises which threatened the sport's showpiece events -- the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Tour of Spain.

Organisers of the three races, known as the Grands Tours, broke ranks with the governing body in December to set their own conditions for participation outside the UCI's ProTour circuit, saying they wanted to return to a more open sporting model.

Last month, the UCI wrote to all 20 teams on its Pro-Tour telling them it no longer recognized the Paris-Nice race and ordered 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. France prohibits online betting.

The ASO, which also runs the Tour de France, has objected to the ProTour because it does not want races open to a limited number of teams and does not want to be financially and commercially tied to the series.

The ProTour, open only to elite teams, started in 2005 with 30 races, including the big three Tours. The initiative has been plagued by disagreements between the UCI, the big Tours, teams and national federations.

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