No Santa Cruz Syndicate for 2015?

Over at Vital MTB in their Team Rumors thread on page 22, Weeny pointed out that the UCI has released the team and rider lists for the 2015 MTB season. A couple users then point out The Syndicate is missing from the team list, and Bryceland, Minnaar, and Peaty aren't on the rider list.

Vital honcho Shawn contacted team manager Kathy Sessler, and this is what she had to say:

It's true. When I submitted the 3 jersey designs for our riders from O'Neal, Royal and Fox, the graphic layout was really close to each other in what our perception of the rule was. Bear in mind this is no easy task with 3 clothing companies trying to produce jerseys to sell and they can't look exactly alike. With the exception that Greg's jersey had neon yellow added, and Steve's had blue added to give an slight individual identity to each rider, UCI didn't think the jerseys met their rule. They declined our elite trade team application based on the jerseys not meeting their criteria.

"All riders within a team are obliged to wear clothing that has identical major sponsor placement, layout and overall look, although the colours of men and women’s outfit can be different. In this case two designs must be submitted".

Certainly this rule can be interpreted many ways. We felt the jerseys were similar in "overall look", UCI did not.

What. The. Fuck.

What implications does this have? As it currently stands, can they not race?

i imagine just a technicality that will be resolved with a jersey redesign. or an appeal, but the uci are dicks, so caving will be the most likely resolution.

edit - evidently not. huh:

Kathy Sessler sent this more detailed update about what not having trade team status means along with the actual jersey designs that Greg Minnaar, Josh Bryceland and Steve Peat will be using in 2015.

We are disappointed that the Santa Cruz Syndicate was denied trade team status. We really wanted things to work out and we worked very hard with Fox, O'Neal and Royal to have them conform to a Syndicate template to create unity in the graphic layout, yet allowing each company to put their own twist on the design to try to retain a little bit of individuality for their brand. We feel we achieved an "overall look."

It is because of the Syndicate that the rule exists as written rather than making the jerseys identical for the teams. We've been very grateful in years past that UCI made this rule more lenient to accommodate us and that we have been granted the trade team status each year. This year UCI felt the jerseys didn't have an overall look. It is up to them to make rules and interpret and enforce, or grant wiggle room within the rule, and they have done this in the past for us. It simply is a case of us not fitting the UCI perception of what the rule means to them at this time. I'm sure there will be people who agree and disagree with their stance, and that is okay. We simply couldn't take the color off Greg and Steve's jersey to meet their request.

UCI's rule:
All riders within a team are obliged to wear clothing that has identical major sponsor placement, layout and overall look, although the colours of men and women’s outfit can be different. In this case two designs must be submitted.

For us not to be an elite team is unfortunate and I like to look at the positive side. We will pay more for tech space, but that money we pay will go directly to the race promoter and help them, rather than getting the 80m2 space for free that we get by being a trade team. We won't be in a premiere location for tech space, but Devinci and Giant will be in the same boat as us, as far as I understand. So fans will have to seek us out! However I think Ratboy will be easy to find!

We obviously won't get points towards a team overall, but downhill is an individual sport anyway, so I'm not bothered by this. That, and we don't have a girl on the Syndicate, so we would have a tough time earning points to be the top trade team. We will have to have the riders' federations enter them rather than being able to use the nice online entry system that UCI has for trade teams. This is what we did before trade team status so we just go back to the old ways. We will miss the rainbow passes that help get us access to crucial work areas where we need to be.

All and all we will be okay without the trade team status, but we will miss the nice benefits and would have preferred to remain a trade team.

Hmmm
Ah the UCI
Run by maybe Aunty Christie and uncle Steven? Stupid decisions and rules that impede the progress of the sport.
What do I care I am going to Mt St Anne this year to watch the world cup!
Fuckin Stoked!!
As long as Greg Steve and Ratboy are there I dont care what colors they fly under!!!

We won't be in a premiere location for tech space, but Devinci and Giant will be in the same boat as us, as far as I understand.

Okay, seriously. Last year DGR and Giant had identical kits for their respective members with just the names on the back changing. The UCI sucks, and needs to get the fuck out of MTB and cycling in general.

Take loads of drugs? No problem! Wear slightly mis-matched jerseys? Get yourselves to the shitty field next to the portaloos and generators.

So they get to hang out more with Eddy Masters and the travelling NZ lad circus? Meh not so bad.

So they get to hang out more with Eddy Masters and the travelling NZ lad circus? Meh not so bad.

Bring Punk Rock Back? Wait, Miami Bryce and Peaty have been punk rock all along, I guess.

I read about the Statement on the local Website - and it was odd. The UCI is one odd bunch of pencil pushers.

Honestly, I do not think it will in one way or the other harm the SCB Crew - but rather increase their fame.