CYCLING NEWS:THE PARIS-NICE stage race will take place as planned next month even though the International Cycling Union (UCI) have urged teams to boycott the event, organisers said yesterday.

"Despite the hostile positions taken by the UCI president (Ireland's Pat McQuaid), Paris-Nice will take place as planned from March 9th to 16th and will be organised according to the technical rules of the French Cycling Federation, in application of the French law," the organisers, Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), said in a statement.

The UCI had asked the French Cycling Federation (FFC) not to recognise the event and urged the professional teams not to take part, saying they would face sanctions if they did.

UCI's position followed ASO's decision not to invite the Astana team to any event they organise, among them Paris-Nice and the Tour de France, because of their implication in doping scandals.

The disagreement is the latest chapter in a long-running row between the UCI and major race organisers.

McQuaid said there was no reason for ASO not to include Astana, the team of last year's Tour winner Alberto Contador of Spain, in their races.

McQuaid is upset by the organisers' decision to manage the race only under French law rather than under the governing body's jurisdiction.

"This measure will have far-reaching consequences," he said.

On Monday, McQuaid sent a letter to all teams to explain the dispute with ASO.

Paris-Nice is the European calendar's first major race of the season, but the rift is a genuine threat to the Tour.

"It's about power and it has nothing to do with sport. We cannot allow this to happen," said McQuaid. "(If the FFC) insists on maintaining this position, the race will take place entirely outside the regulatory and organisational structure of the UCI."

The UCI say they will not give any classification to Paris-Nice nor recognise a winner or award points unless the situation is resolved.

The Swiss-based body duly called on professional teams to boycott the event or threatened them with sanctions

"The UCI trusts that the teams will refuse to take part in Paris-Nice, as, regardless of the sanctions to which they would be subject, such participation would compromise the image and stability of cycling."

They also appealed to the FFC and French secretary of state for sport to reconsider their decision to support ASO.

Last year, ASO boss Patrice Clerc called for McQuaid to step down after a long-running feud that included doping scandals at the Tour.

Tour director Christian Prudhomme added to the dispute by declaring the race will operate under its own rules in future.