Following is the full text of the email UCI president Pat McQuaid sent to professional racers on March 4.

Aigle, 4th March 2008
Ref: President / gr

Dear Rider,

You are aware of the difficulties we have with the forthcoming edition of Paris-Nice and I
wanted to write to you personally to express my sympathy for the position you find yourself in
and to explain the situation as I see it.

I am writing at the request and with the support of the organisation that looks after your
interests as a rider, the CPA.

As a former rider myself I really do feel for the difficult situation that you are in. I can imagine
that your reaction to current events may be “why can’t I do my job as a rider and let you guys
get on with the politics?” I agree completely with this sentiment and I truly want nothing more
than for you to be allowed to ride Paris-Nice and for the sport to be free of these political
struggles.

As the situation stands at the moment Paris-Nice will be run completely outside of our rules.
This is totally unnecessary and the race could have been run as normal if ASO hadn’t
chosen to use it to make a stand to defy our authority. I believe that ASO wishes to
completely do away with the rules for cycling so that they can manipulate the situation for
their benefit.

The UCI rules, which I know that as a rider you will sometimes find annoying, are
nevertheless crucial to act as a neutral set of regulations that balance the interests of all the
people involved in cycle sport. Without the UCI rules the organisers would have the power to
ask you and your team to sign contracts in which they dictate the conditions to participate in
their races. This is the current situation with Paris-Nice as your team has been asked to sign
a one-sided contract which, for example, denies you the protection of the UCI rules against
exclusion from the race in case of alleged threat to the image of the race or the appeal with
the Court of Arbitration for Sport in case of an alleged anti-doping violation.

With regard to anti-doping, it should also be noted that UCI rules would not be applied: ASO
would be able to apply its own procedures through the AFLD; this could have serious
consequences for example on the treatment of TUEs, the use of tests on hair which is
currently not part of the UCI policies, and different rules for the disciplinary procedures. AFLD
may also be tempted to and implement its own out-of-competition controls in addition to
those of the biological passport.

Without the UCI the future is ever more powerful organisers dictating the terms on which you
are able to practice your profession.

For the sake of the riders and the sport ASO must not be allowed to break our authority and
undermine our rules by using Paris-Nice as a lever. That is why I am asking teams and riders
not to participate in the race if it is run outside our rules. If it is run in breach of our rules then
sadly we will have to apply sanctions and it is only fair that you are fully briefed on what
those sanctions are.

For riders

• Six months suspension.
• Fine up to CHF 10,000.
• Elimination of points.
• Exclusion from participation in UCI World Championships and other events.

For teams

• Suspension of their UCI registration for a determined period.
• Fine of up to CHF 10,000.
• Withdrawal of UCI ProTour licence / Wild Card label as applicable.

The suspensions and fines listed above are the maximum applicable so depending on the
circumstances pertaining to the rider or team the actual suspensions and fines applied could
be less.

For French riders the position of the French Federation (FFC) will also be relevant.
Proceedings will be opened against the FFC for its collusion in the affair and if the FFC is
suspended this may also have ramifications for French rider’s participation in events.

I sincerely hope that it won’t come to this and please believe me that it gives me no pleasure
to be writing to you about sanctions. However, given the attitude of ASO I thought that you
should be fully informed of the consequences if you were to participate in Paris-Nice if it is
run by ASO outside our rules.

Yours sincerely,

Pat McQuaid