Andy Rihs

[Eyjafjallajokull]

Actually I answered all of their posts with the exception of the "no Ballan there" because I decided not to bother highlighting that they had completely missed the point - which is of course BPC's style.

I was going back to the original point. For the team to know they would have to link the two people together.

 

[bobbins]

Not that simple if it was kept quiet.

Team Sky did their homework on Ballan. No reason BMC couldn't.

 

[ludwig]

are they any different tho, to the Spanish teams, to Riis' CSC/Saxo, to USPS/Disco/Bruyneel's Astana, ONCE/Liberty Seguros, Quickstep, Italian squads, Telekom/T-Mobile/High Road/Columbia

all teams who have had success have either had direct programs or defacto programs. Phonak were a little more sloppy, and like Gerolsteiner, they were the expedient scapegoat.

No they aren't any different I think. And that's why they keep coming back...they figure if these other squads can do it why cant they?

 

[joe_papp]

Ballan and his values

Maybe Ballan kept it very secret at the time so it could not be verified, and of course kept it from BMC when he joined.

My understanding is that Ballan was able to lure Ag2r-La Mondiale into a situation where there was an unsigned contract dependent only on medical for execution- and then they declined to endorse (catch and release? ) after thoroughly reviewing his biopassport...

This didn't come from either the rider or the team, but rather, a trusted source close enough to both. I can't say that it's true, however, and simply pass it along as an interesting what-if...

 

[joe_papp]

Risk Analysis and ROI when signing a suspected doper

So??

"We didn't know who his coach was."

.... his coach could have been Guido Nigrelli, Pope Benedict XVI or even "Eyjafjallajökull", it does not matter - except that it shows Ochowicz did not really care.

Also take into consideration the possibility that the risk analysis can also include cynical variables, like, "if these power files really correspond to these biopassport numbers, but someone else thinks they can't, what is the probability of a sanction, and when would it be announced and implemented, and at that point would our already-realized gains from the rider outweigh the sum-total of the ensuing negative publicity, which we would seek to quickly neutralize by firing the rider and publicly crucifying him while citing a clause in his contract that might necessitate his doing something humiliating in public (or promising to pay us his salary [yeah, right]) ... "

Just a thought. And not meant to imply that any one particular person is or isn't thinking like this when signing riders. But I could certainly see how an unscrupulous, cynical manager might be willing to take the risk if he thought his net gain would be positive (no pun intended), should a marquee rider be sacked for doping.

Is BMC continuing to pay Ballan? I would love to read the english version of his contract and specifically the clauses dealing with doping bans and remuneration. Anyone have a leaked copy of a unique protour rider contract (not a generic UCI template or something like that)?

 

[Granville57]

Sonova (Phonak) faces Swiss finacial inquiry

This seemed as good a thread as any to reopen.

Sonova (formerly Phonak) Faces Swiss Inquiry Over Profit Warning After Chairman Sold Shares.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-30/sonova-faces-swiss-inquiry-over-profit-warning-after-chairman-sold-shares.html

stock-exchange authorities are investigating a profit warning given to investors eight days after the chairman sold 300,000 shares

Hmmm. And who is the CEO of Sonova/Phonak?
Andy Rihs.

Rihs said he made the trades “in good faith” and has offered to buy back the shares at the original price. He told reporters at the press conference that he would step down as chairman to avoid further damage to the company’s reputation.

Rihs sold the 300,000 shares at 125.07 francs each, for a total of 37.5 million francs, according to the exchange website.

“You have to wonder whether the chairman of the board didn’t know how the business is doing, and if so, how is that possible?” said Roth, the corporate attorney in Binningen.

Swiss law already makes it illegal for company managers, board members and public officials to abuse confidential information for their own financial gain and sets a maximum three-year prison term for the offense.

Is this a sign of things to come?
Cooperative international financial investigations on the horizon?

 

[Sanjūrō]

are they any different tho, to the Spanish teams, to Riis' CSC/Saxo, to USPS/Disco/Bruyneel's Astana, ONCE/Liberty Seguros, Quickstep, Italian squads, Telekom/T-Mobile/High Road/Columbia

all teams who have had success have either had direct programs or defacto programs. Phonak were a little more sloppy, and like Gerolsteiner, they were the expedient scapegoat.

^ This.

They all do it. They all have to in order to be competitive, because, the top riders and top teams all do. Its why there is omerta within the peloton. Different programs for different teams and different riders, and some do it better than others, but they're all involved with it to some degree else they couldnt compete.

 

[flicker]

^ This.

They all do it. They all have to in order to be competitive, because, the top riders and top teams all do. Its why there is omerta within the peloton. Different programs for different teams and different riders, and some do it better than others, but they're all involved with it to some degree else they couldnt compete.

BMC is a professional sporting team. As far as cleanliness I am sure it is as clean as any other cycling team. Advertising, sport, and entertainment.
Get the picture?

 

[blackcat]

Don't forget that Jim Ochowicz (BMC president) made this beautiful comment in relation to Alessandro Ballan:

"We didn't know who his coach was."

So, BMC don't do a little backround checking on their riders?

Have they learnt nothing from their Phonak days are is it they just don't care?

Och would have found him a nice UBS bank acct to hide his salary

 

[skippy]

Somewhere i missed the fact that Jim Och was around cycling for many years, in fact went to Lance's book (It's not about the bike ) to confirm my curiosity .
With his experience and contacts as a source , it is hardly likely that suspicions about people in cycling circles would not have not reach his ears !

Saw some talk by joe_papp about Ballan being "unpaid" but not seen a reference recently to any problems ?

Years ago i saw an item regarding Andy R. which was essentially "even bad publicity" is worthwhile ! Wonder how he feels about the "share sale enquiry"?

Paying an injured racer whilst convalescent would have to be a given otherwise ALL racers would jump ship or underperform , wouldn't they ?

 

[Sanjūrō]

BMC is a professional sporting team. As far as cleanliness I am sure it is as clean as any other cycling team.

Yeah, me too. Like I said...

 

[thehog]

Wonder if the trigger was looking into those phoney bank accounts Och and Lance set up in Helvetica? Interesting. Good times.

Landis paid his taxes but did Lance?

This seemed as good a thread as any to reopen.

Sonova (formerly Phonak) Faces Swiss Inquiry Over Profit Warning After Chairman Sold Shares.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-30/sonova-faces-swiss-inquiry-over-profit-warning-after-chairman-sold-shares.html


Hmmm. And who is the CEO of Sonova/Phonak?
Andy Rihs.





Is this a sign of things to come?
Cooperative international financial investigations on the horizon?

 

[del1962]

So Andy Rihs in answer to Tyler Hamiltons testimony says he does not realise that his riders where doping, is this possible?

http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/02/news/rihs-on-hamilton-i-do-not-believe-him_275354