Rabobank quits cycling!

[Kwibus]

http://www.rabosport.com/news/item/25789

I'm sad.

 

[gerundium]

just saw it on the news as well. Rabobank steps down as sponsor from december 31st. wonder what will happen to the team, kind of late for the riders to find a new home, maybe a new sponsor is a possibility?

"Rabobank stopt per 31 december 2012 met de sponsoring van de professionele wielerploegen, zowel van de heren als van de dames. Rabobank blijft als sponsor verbonden aan de amateursport, waaronder de jeugdopleiding en het veldrijden.
Rabobank is tot dit besluit gekomen na verschijning van het rapport van de Amerikaanse dopingautoriteit USADA vorige week. Dit rapport spreekt boekdelen. Bert Bruggink, lid van de raad van bestuur: “Het gaat met pijn in het hart, maar voor onze bank is het een onvermijdelijke beslissing. Wij zijn niet meer overtuigd dat de internationale professionele wielerwereld in staat is om een schone en eerlijke sport mogelijk te maken. Wij hebben niet het vertrouwen dat dit op afzienbare termijn ten goede zal keren.”
Rabobank is 17 jaar geleden in de wielersport gestapt. Vol overtuiging en met een duidelijke missie. Want wielrennen past bij de Rabobank, bij haar klanten en bij haar medewerkers. Rabobank heeft de wielersponsoring in de loop der jaren uitgebreid tot een compleet pakket, van de heren- en damesprofploeg tot de jeugdopleiding en het veldrijden.
Bert Bruggink:“Wielrennen is een prachtige sport waaraan miljoenen Nederlanders plezier beleven en een groot deel van die Nederlanders is klant van de Rabobank. Maar ons besluit staat vast: we trekken ons terug uit de professionele wielersport. Het is pijnlijk, niet alleen voor de Rabobank, maar vooral voor de liefhebbers en de sporters die geen blaam treft.“"

source: http://www.rabosport.nl/wielrennen/...pt_met_sponsoring_professionele_wielerploegen

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Wow, that is indeed very sad. Wonder what will happen to the team now.

 

[Kwibus]

Allthough I'm convinced the board was well aware of what has been happening in the past and maybe knew it back then as well I think it's still the riders own fault.
The problem is that the current generation gets to take the blow of what happened in the past.
Personally I'm pretty sure that current group of riders at Rabo with the exception of maybe 2-3 riders are most likely clean or atleast not using a very organised doping program.
Ofcourse this is based on a gut feeling and I'm biased toward them as well.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

This is very bad.

 

[Ferminal]

Terrible, going to be interesting to see where the fortunate ones end up. Someone like Cannondale will be licking their lips.

 

[vladimir]

Shocking and sad news indeed. I really hope they will find a new sponsor and continue as a team. Not very optimistic though...

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Ryo must be sad .... no more team to make fun if they cant find another sponsor.

 

[Kwibus]

Shocking and sad news indeed. I really hope they will find a new sponsor and continue as a team. Not very optimistic though...

Doubtful indeed. It's an expensive team as well and I think it will be even harder for the woman.

They say they will keep on sponsoring the amateur and youth teams, but I wonder if that includes the Rabo Continental team as these guys get paid as well don't they? I really hope they continue with that team as that's the place for young dutch riders to grow.

 

[gerundium]

friend just said he thought he heard on the radio there will be a press conference at 10:30 (in 1 hour 15 minutes)

 

[theyoungest]

I had expected it, maybe not so soon. But if you saw the Dutch media in the recent week you'd think the USADA report was all about Rabobank.

This is a big "f.ck you" to the current generation of riders at their team though. What the hell? How are they going to find a new team so soon, in the current climate? Then again, we shouldn't expect ethical behaviour from a bank

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

The statement in english: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/rabobank-to-end-its-sponsorship-of-professional-cycling-teams

 

[Kwibus]

I had expected it, maybe not so soon. But if you saw the Dutch media in the recent week you'd think the USADA report was all about Rabobank.

This is a big "f.ck you" to the current generation of riders at their team though. What the hell? How are they going to find a new team so soon, in the current climate? Then again, we shouldn't expect ethical behaviour from a bank

The big riders should be fine, but all the helpers are really f*cked.

 

[roadbiker]

latest news:
The team will go on but without Rabobank-branding.

 

[theyoungest]

Raymond Kerckhoffs says that the team will continue in 2013 under a "white label". What the hell is that? A team without a sponsor, how can they exist?

 

[Der Effe]

Great news for Dutch cycling, at least the Dutch riders will get results now. Oh well...Just kidding, this is not good.

Wonder where the likes of Boom, Gesink, Mollema, Kelderman and Slagter will end up. Maybe they'll find a sponsor but who is willing to step in in a time like these? Giant maybe? I don't know, really.

 

[gerundium]

Raymond Kerckhoffs says that the team will continue in 2013 under a "white label". What the hell is that? A team without a sponsor, how can they exist?

this might mean that Rabobank will still sponsor the team for next year money wise but they will ride without the rabobank logo?

edit: please note this is pure speculation on my part, i haven't heard anything about this yet.

 

[Christian]

Very sad indeed ... this team was an institution of cycling. This marks a major change in the professional landscape.

Thanks for all the great years and good luck to all the riders finding a new team!

/edit: just read the posts above. Good for the riders, I hope they can find a new sponsor!

 

[Kwibus]

this might mean that Rabobank will still sponsor the team for next year money wise but they will ride without the rabobank logo?

That wouldn't really surprise me as it would be typical dutch correctness.

This decision with their current commercial on dutch television is a bit weird as well

 

[Der Effe]

That wouldn't really surprise me as it would be typical dutch correctness.

This decision with their current commercial on dutch television is a bit weird as well

Bunch of hypocrites is what they are. Time they clean up the banks as well.

 

[theyoungest]

That wouldn't really surprise me as it would be typical dutch correctness.

This decision with their current commercial on dutch television is a bit weird as well

"Typical Dutch correctness" is not paying 15 million euros and getting nothing in return

 

[MartinGT]

A sad day

LANCE YOU W@NKER!

 

[jens_attacks]

another sad day for cycling.

some of the rabobank management really deserved this because what they did to chicken but all these riders without a team.....sad

 

[Kwibus]

On the radio they just called Lard Boom and he says he got the news 30 minutes ago. Not sure if that's true though.

He was very calm and relax about it, but that's typical Boom. He was very sad to hear Rabobank leaves as it's been a very loyal sponsor to cycling.
He says they will try to keep the team together and find a new sponsor.

If Rabobank pays for next season they got over a year to get it done and I'm pretty hopeful they will succeed at it.

 

[Lexman]

latest news:
The team will go on but without Rabobank-branding.

yes indeed, as white label team they might get results though, they will be motivated to find a new sponsor, sad but reality...