Rabobank pulls out of pro-cycling

[Tinman]

This sad news just now. From end of year.

http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/wielersport/13095463/__Rabobank_stopt_met_sponsoring__.html

press release here

https://twitter.com/TourDeJose/status/259190290307493888/photo/1/large

 

[wirral]

Is this for real?

 

[bobbins]

Add this to the list of positive things Armstrong and the UCI have done for the sport!

 

[Ferminal]

Seems they are blaming Armstrong?

What about the doping went on in your team under the full knowledge of the management?

Either way, it sucks.

Bound to happen though given the length of the coverup. The longer the lie, the bigger the damage.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Glad to hear they are sticking with the amateur team and cyclocross, so not completely out.

Tough for anyone on the team though.

 

[Lexman]

apparently the professional team continues next year but without sponsor, White Label Team, don't know how they will be able to pay the riders and staff, technicians, soigneurs etc....

 

[Spider1964]

Unfortunate move by Jack Bobridge?

 

[Zultronova]

The fallout from the USADA report continues. What's next.......??

 

[simo1733]

I hope this isn't the start of a trend, but I am sure a lot of major sponsors are reviewing their positions.
What would really make me cringe would be if they re-allocated the budjet to football or tennis or some other sport that apparently has no doping problem.

 

[ElChingon]

The fallout from the USADA report continues. What's next.......??

UCI outs the bad UCI board members. (keeping fingers crossed)

 

[dadane]

Allegedly as a result of Levi's confession.
Not good news.

 

[Roninho]

apparently the professional team continues next year but without sponsor, White Label Team, don't know how they will be able to pay the riders and staff, technicians, soigneurs etc....

I expect Rabo to pay for next year as well. Like T-mobile did it. They have contractual commitment to the riders which will include doping clauses. But hard to break the contract with Gesink because Leipheimer doped in 2003.

Basically they don't want to be associated with cycling anymore but continue their contractual obligations just to ensure no bad press of firing all these popular riders.

Expect a bunch of rabo sponsorship guru's working extremely hard behind the scenes to find other companies to take over the sponsorship, or part of it.

 

[Frosty]

UCI outs the bad UCI board members. (keeping fingers crossed)

Some other big sponsors go and its going to put pressure on the top people.

A shame that Rabobank are going. My belief is that Rabobank are currently one of the cleaner teams in the peloton* and maybe the team/sponsors could have tried to play on this. Might not go down well with Omerta but if there are big upheavals in the sport as a result of current goings-on....

*Barredo's dodgy blood tests presumably occurred before he joined the team as he achieved top marks of 10 before the 2010 Tour. Makes signing him a bit odd though as they should have checked his biological passport and realised he was likely to come under disciplinary action at some point.

 

[Cloxxki]

Oh no, my poor little Vosje!

On the bright side, if more otherwise loyal sponsors quit (the pro side of UCI), this might kill the UCI, and make room for a more properly organised replacement. Lower salaries, anti-corruption policies at the foundation of it all, and no dealings with anti-doping. They'd just "hire" athletes which are eligible for pro sports, governed by WADA and an operational anti-doping org.

 

[RichWalk]

sad news and revealing........ why not cut out the middle man and get Glaxo Kline to sponsor them

 

[sairyder]

Oh no, my poor little Vosje!

On the bright side, if more otherwise loyal sponsors quit (the pro side of UCI), this might kill the UCI, and make room for a more properly organised replacement. Lower salaries, anti-corruption policies at the foundation of it all, and no dealings with anti-doping. They'd just "hire" athletes which are eligible for pro sports, governed by WADA and an operational anti-doping org.

Puts more pressure on the UCI - agreed

 

[FignonLeGrand]

Oh no, my poor little Vosje!

On the bright side, if more otherwise loyal sponsors quit (the pro side of UCI), this might kill the UCI, and make room for a more properly organised replacement. Lower salaries, anti-corruption policies at the foundation of it all, and no dealings with anti-doping. They'd just "hire" athletes which are eligible for pro sports, governed by WADA and an operational anti-doping org.

Lower salaries? Dont worry about Gesink and Boom, but what about all the domestiques on not more than basic wage? Cycling pays rubbish for most people.

The Netherlands is just waking up to the fact that we are in a European super recession and here goes cycling providing an ideal reason to pull out. Professsional cycling is a contradiction in terms and the sooner the whole thing is deconstructed and started again the better.

Currently Wrestling is more credible.

 

[Cramps]

Seems they are blaming Armstrong?

The press release says they aren't convinced the 'international professional world of cycling' can keep things clean. That is almost a literal translation for UCI.

Seems like they leave open the possibility that under a different professional body they would resume sponsorship?

 

[Cloxxki]

Lower salaries? Dont worry about Gesink and Boom, but what about all the domestiques on not more than basic wage? Cycling pays rubbish for most people.

The Netherlands is just waking up to the fact that we are in a European super recession and here goes cycling providing an ideal reason to pull out. Professsional cycling is a contradiction in terms and the sooner the whole thing is deconstructed and started again the better.

Currently Wrestling is more credible.

I meant at the UCI-replacement. High salaries and power give incentive to lobbying to get to power. Leading the UCI should be like the job of police commissioner in Mexico. I read that a student girl took up the job to lead a large police region, as no-one else was willing to do it. Bad pay, huge chance to be taken out by one of the many mob gangs.
Someone with respect of the riders, and fans, should lead the UCI. Unquestionable intentions and heart for the sport. Someone like Tygart or Schenk.

 

[Tinman]

Someone with respect of the riders, and fans, should lead the UCI. Unquestionable intentions and heart for the sport. Someone like Tygart or Schenk.

Visionary. Too much so for the local feds.

 

[Mellow Velo]

There is a thread in the RR section.
Team to continue, next season, in unRabomarked kit.

 

[summerhill]

@Stefclement
I believe in this promising, hard working and talented group of riders and staff. The glue is gone, but we don't need to fall a part.

@ john vanden field Nou Nederlandse media....doel bereikt??
Well Dutch media .... goal??
Retweeted by Wilco Kelderman

@laurenstendam
Rough way to wake up in the Alpujarra. Guess I've to stay with the 'hippies' here...

 

[Frosty]

As far as the current generation goes its time for everyone's favourite link, the 2010 tour de france doping suspicion list

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011...ng-suspicions-from-2010-tour-de-france_172784

Rabobank do well on there compared to most teams. Menchov sticks out like a sore thumb and signing Barredo is a bit odd but otherwise the only Raborider above a 2 is Garate.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

As far as the current generation goes its time for everyone's favourite link, the 2010 tour de france doping suspicion list

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011...ng-suspicions-from-2010-tour-de-france_172784

Rabobank do well on there compared to most teams. Menchov sticks out like a sore thumb and signing Barredo is a bit odd but otherwise the only Raborider above a 2 is Garate.

Guys like Horner (0) prove that low scores don't mean much.

 

[Frosty]

Guys like Horner (0) prove that low scores don't mean much.

So everyone keeps on telling me but with no real proof. I agree that it is not to be taken to heart but as a guide to most people it is probably fairly reasonable. As i remember, Radioshack had the highest average and Cofidis the lowest. This does not exactly seem far-fetched.