ASO can go take a flying leap in a steaming pile.  They have announced that Astana will not be able to race in ANY races organized by ASO.  No Paris-Nice.  No Criterium Int'l.  No Paris-Roubaix.  No Fleche Wallone.  No Liege-Bastogne-Liege.  No Paris-Tours.  No Tour de France.  Quite possibly the strongest team in pro cycling will eliminated from most major races this season. 
 
Congratulations ASO.  You drove a seemingly untainted ProTour team, Unibet, out of cycling last year by refusing to let them race.  What are the chances of Astana staying around next year, or even finishing this year.  The formerly scandalous, and now scandal-less team, has completely restructured itself with new management, testing procedures and riders.  That makes sense.  Punish the innocent.  The ASO has gathered too much influence of cycling and needs to be knocked down a few notches.  ASO's rumored purchase of the Vuelta will only exacerbate the problem.
 
The UCI seems incapable of controlling them, so I'm not sure what step should be taken.  Ideally, the teams or riders will band together and put the brakes on ASO's bullying.  Unfortunately, the team and rider organizations seem weak, ineffective and able present a defense about as effective as the Maginot Line.
 
The writing is on the wall.  High Road will not be invited to the Tour either.  Who is going to stand up put an end to the nonsense.  The UCI is far from perfect but they at least try and instill some type of organization into the sport.  Imagine the American League Central Division refusing to allow the NY Yankees to play in their stadiums.