Rock racing, good or bad? (non-D)

[mr. tibbs]

I despise the kit, I cringed every time I saw Mancebo attack in the ToC.

I have to say that seeing Mancebo attack like he did was maybe the best part of the ToC--different kit or no. (I prefer their green ones from last year.)

As for the team, you gotta give Ball credit for hiring riders that ahve served their time or were never actually convicted of doping. Hamilton should be allowed to race now and guys like Sevilla and Mancebo were never even accused (were they?). But no one else would touch them.

But yet Basso and Millar are welcomed back into the peloton with open arms. It's baloney. I don't care who puts on a false front of repentance or whatever--once they serve their ban (or--especially--if they are never banned) they should be allowed to race.

Ball is the only one who's giving these guys a chance.

 

[Henri Desgrange]

I have to say that seeing Mancebo attack like he did was maybe the best part of the ToC--different kit or no. (I prefer their green ones from last year.)

As for the team, you gotta give Ball credit for hiring riders that ahve served their time or were never actually convicted of doping. Hamilton should be allowed to race now and guys like Sevilla and Mancebo were never even accused (were they?). But no one else would touch them.

But yet Basso and Millar are welcomed back into the peloton with open arms. It's baloney. I don't care who puts on a false front of repentance or whatever--once they serve their ban (or--especially--if they are never banned) they should be allowed to race.

Ball is the only one who's giving these guys a chance.

Sevilla and Mancebo were as heavily implicated in Puerto as Basso, yet only one got banned. Remember Mancebo, Sevilla, Basso and Millar have never failed a dope test, yet two of them have served a two year ban. My problem is they are as guilty as Basso, yet haven't done the time. if they had have done maybe my feelings would be different...

 

[BroDeal]

Sevilla and Mancebo were as heavily implicated in Puerto as Basso, yet only one got banned. Remember Mancebo, Sevilla, Basso and Millar have never failed a dope test, yet two of them have served a two year ban. My problem is they are as guilty as Basso, yet haven't done the time. if they had have done maybe my feelings would be different...

What about the other riders who are just as guilty, were never ostracized, and have been allowed to win everything from GTs to classics to gold medals?

 

[Henri Desgrange]

What about the other riders who are just as guilty, were never ostracized, and have been allowed to win everything from GTs to classics to gold medals?

Oh absolutely, and I don't just mean Valverde (what is happening with him and CONI anyway?), Dertie et al. What about the footballers, tennis players and other athletes implicated?

Who has actually been punished for Puerto? Jaksche, Basso and Scarponi got bans, Ulrich and Beloki were forced into retirement, Valverde is still under investigation....
Not a lot else really and all Cyclists...

 

[Anonymous]

I have to say that seeing Mancebo attack like he did was maybe the best part of the ToC--different kit or no. (I prefer their green ones from last year.)

As for the team, you gotta give Ball credit for hiring riders that ahve served their time or were never actually convicted of doping. Hamilton should be allowed to race now and guys like Sevilla and Mancebo were never even accused (were they?). But no one else would touch them.

But yet Basso and Millar are welcomed back into the peloton with open arms. It's baloney. I don't care who puts on a false front of repentance or whatever--once they serve their ban (or--especially--if they are never banned) they should be allowed to race.

Ball is the only one who's giving these guys a chance.

i kinda made this point somewhere else but this thread is more relevant..

the difference for me, is that millar, basso where rehabilitated if you will, into organisations with clean records (well.. at the moment they are ) and who are part of the biological passport program etc.. they where individuals rehabilitated to otherwise clean teams..

rock is like forming a security company that employs almost entirely ex-cons.. re-habilitate them all you like.. you wouldnt trust them with your valuables... its not the individuals in rock racing, as much as the group of individuals together.. combined with the overall balls to everyone attitute they have tried to portray, the bunch of renegades that nobody else would take.. its like something out of the wwe... i almost expect them to knock basso of of his bike, spray rock on him in spray paint and him announce he is joining them.. :/

 

[Bala Verde]

according to the sueddeutsche zeitung

Der 2007 zur?ckgetretene Jan Ullrich, 35, steht vor einer R?ckkehr in den Radsport - als PR-Berater. "Das k?nnte was werden, wenn wir einen neuen Sponsor haben - vielleicht n?chstes Jahr. Im Moment k?nnten wir ihn nicht bezahlen", sagte der Belgier Rudy Pevenage, einst engster Berater Ullrichs und seit Jahresbeginn Teamchef bei der drittklassigen US-Mannschaft "Rock Racing". Die Bonner Staatsanwaltschaft hatte in den F?llen Ullrich und Pevenage in Zusammenhang mit Doping-Anschuldigungen in der Aff?re Fuentes gegen Zahlung einer nicht genannten Summe auf die Einleitung von Verfahren verzichtet.

source: http://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/402/463014/text/

Nice addition to the team... Jan Ullrich as a PR-adviser.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Mike Balls is a Pimp!!!

 

[Snake8]

Der 2007 zur?ckgetretene Jan Ullrich, 35, steht vor einer R?ckkehr in den Radsport - als PR-Berater. "Das k?nnte was werden, wenn wir einen neuen Sponsor haben - vielleicht n?chstes Jahr. Im Moment k?nnten wir ihn nicht bezahlen", sagte der Belgier Rudy Pevenage, einst engster Berater Ullrichs und seit Jahresbeginn Teamchef bei der drittklassigen US-Mannschaft "Rock Racing". Die Bonner Staatsanwaltschaft hatte in den F?llen Ullrich und Pevenage in Zusammenhang mit Doping-Anschuldigungen in der Aff?re Fuentes gegen Zahlung einer nicht genannten Summe auf die Einleitung von Verfahren verzichtet.

source: http://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/402/463014/text/

Nice addition to the team... Jan Ullrich as a PR-adviser.

Ya! What he said!

I like Rock. Dont like Ball at all. I could care less if people are repentant or not, you do your time if you get caught then you get to start over. No one here has lived a life without mistakes, and most of us justify our behaviour in some form or another to soothe our own consciousness. Most likely them who throw the stones got some glass in their houses too...

 

[Mellow Velo]

It's reported on this site. Here's a bit.

Pevenage seeks sponsor for Rock Racing, Ullrich to be advisor

Rudy Pevenage, sports director for the American Continental Rock Racing Team, seems to be moving more and more into the team's management. On Thursday he said that Jan Ullrich may be joining the team as a PR advisor, but noted that the team desperately needs a new sponsor.

Sponsor and team owner Michael Ball's clothing business Rock & Republic is being hit by the world financial crisis, and the team needs a new source of funding, Pevenage told the dpa press agency. "I assume that our team is {financially} assured for this season, but we desperately need a new sponsor. We are holding talks."
He indicated that Ullrich my join the management team in the coming season. "That could be something ? maybe next year. Right now we couldn't pay him."

IMO: Shouldn't be an issue. Jan as an advisor? Hope it's not in a dietary capacity!

 

[Bala Verde]

he'd be putting the drugs back in 'sex (see pic above), drugs and rock and roll'....

 

[Stani Kléber]

Ullrich to advise Rock Racing? That's like appointing Bernie Madoff to run AIG.

 

[astokes]

Rock Racing is without doubt a good thing for the US domestic scene.

Does anyone pull for Saxo Bank because of Bjarne Riis? For Astana, because Bruyneel is behind the wheel of the team car? Saronni at Lampre? It's about the riders and racing, not who's pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Take the recent ToC, and simply browse the top 20 on GC. Aside from Sevilla and Gutierrez, everyone else was "Pro Tour" right down the line. Kind of like with the current NCAA basketball tournament taking place right now here in the US, you can't help but pull for the underdog. Mancebo's epic stage one victory, and subsequent race for the KoM, was the only one to upset the stranglehold the big boys had on that race. Granted, for a US domestic squad, they're loaded with former European stars, but, they still filled the role of underdog, and I was truly disappointed upon seeing Paco crash out of the race.

Also, take a close look at their entire roster,top to bottom. I knew Chris Baldwin back in college. He was a huge talent, national team, racing in Europe, etc. Rumor was back then, he opted to skip out on the potential of a Euro pro contract because he was not comfortable with what was taking place over there back in the late 1990's. 10 years later, he's with RR. That, to me, is evidence that Michael Ball and his team are doing something right, if they can land a clean talent like Baldwin...or "scooter" if I recall the name he went by back then. Bahatti is another talent, and it's a good thing for cycling that RR is providing him with a ride this year to showcase it.

These guys deserve the support required to survive in today's rough sponsorship climate. If that support happens to come from an "outsider" to the cycling scene flashing expensive jeans and Caddy's...well, so be it.

 

[BrandonT]

Well I have heard a rumor from Girona this morning about a certain american rider on the RR team failing a drug test... I hope its just a nasty rumor because its the last thing American cycling needs

 

[Henri Desgrange]

Well I have heard a rumor from Girona this morning about a certain american rider on the RR team failing a drug test... I hope its just a nasty rumor because its the last thing American cycling needs

Would that be the one that's been going round for the past week? About the guy with the phantom twin?

 

[TrapperJohn]

Would that be the one that's been going round for the past week? About the guy with the phantom twin?

Not again! For heaven's sake, don't disgrace the sport.

Well, if he gets the boot, they can always hire Landis.

 

[Power13]

Rock is no different than Astana hiring Bruyneel, Kloden, Armstrong, and the cream of Saiz' program. The "Oh, no, they are unrepentent dopers" excuse does not fly.

Ball's business must be getting killed in this economic climate. Yet he is still putting money into the sport.

Let's be somewhat realistic...Ball is "putting money into the sport" because it is beneficial to him.

In the meantime, he has screwed riders, managers, support staff and sponsors....all people that are in the sport for the long haul.

Sorry, I don't believe such an approach deserves to be applauded. He is harming the sport, not helping it.

 

[Green Hornet]

II'm not sure why, but, I like these guys.

Perhaps because the anti-doping zealots hate them. People who have served their time deserve a fair chance to pursue their chosen career. Just like the rest or society.

Go Tyler -

 

[bikepure]

I do not think you can be on the fence with this one. Ball is a media man, he loves the spot light but his ship is sinking and i am delighted.

You cannot coral everything bruised in professional cycle sport's past and expect us to love them. i dont care how much a jersey costs: but when he added Rudy to the mix ( the DS who fed Jan and Riis all the 'gear' they wanted and then some) to manage a crowd of dopers... the results are only bad for the sport. Even the Twitter whisperings of tyler caught again this week, as lance says with "hand in the cookie jar" , it is still another story that further damages our sport. Ball should make jeans. Rudy should retire and TH should hide in a hole and come out when the Bio passport headlines die.

 

[John Doe]

Rock is what's wrong with pro cycling in the U.S. Ball is loud and brash and his kit is offensive to children. It's frightening. Cipollini and Andreu left in a hurry. Ever wonder why? I'm with Merckx on this one. Rock Racing would be more respected if they were promoting youth cycling programs. That's where a lot of the money should be going.

First off they are a pro cycling team not a youth cycling program. There is not one US Pro team that promotes youth cycling. Rocks whole schtick is the anti bike team.

I can tell you from experiance that Rock has had more Junior developement with more success then any other Pro team in the US. This is a fact.

 

[wheels55]

For those who know their NFL football, these guys are the Oakland Raiders of pro cycling...and like 'em or not, just like in "Raider Nation" they keep things entertaining at least. Hiring all the dopers (riders and management) is obviously all about the rebel image, but as some have said in earlier posts, there are guys getting a fair chance to race their bikes for pay that otherwise would not...

 

[The GCW]

Rock Racing: Good or bad?

Like most things there is good and bad.

Rock Racing has an interesting history. Some good some bad.

BUT

None of that matters till the question of sponsorship is answered.

Rock needs money to continue. There is the idea that there could be a perfect fit type sponsor but that is more narrow than for another team which is not so damn difficult for so many reasons.

If Rock gets a sponsor; then they're good.

If Rock doesn't find a sponsor their out of it plain and simple and Balls's mouth and actions hurt Him.

-0-

So good or bad depends on whether or not they find a sponsor.

 

[Big Cee]

Terrible kit, nice girls. If what Ball does helps get cycling exposure in USA, then good luck to him.

 

[Blorpht]

Ball is a douche, but if he can pay riders to race their bikes then I guess I give him a hesitant thumbs up. The kits are stupid and the rebel image needs to go.

 

[Captain Chaos]

you gotta admit that Kyle Leo Grande had some badass ink!

Maybe John Devine is Hiding out with those cats?

 

[Dr. Wattini]

Is any cycling team good for a business?

I first started to think about Rock being good for cycling as money is scarce currently and companies and enterprises cannot just spend millions sponsoring a cycling team. Then I asked myself, why is important to have another pro team. Well, they provide jobs to cyclists and all the support staff, supposedly the team sponsor gets some advertisement through time on TV, their name on the airwaves, sport magazines. With that in mind, a lot of the RR riders have been in some sort of scandal, there has been little opportunity for upcoming talent i.e. the US crit champ Bahati is riding for the RR ?amateur? squad when he actually has a great human behind him. From what I read, he grew up in the wrong side of Los Angeles and made a name for himself with cycling (and probably the tight shorts did not go all that well in the scene of the crappy side of LA). So as far as having a team that will pay wages to new talent, RR is not. From the cycling tabloids, RR seems to be unfair to the riders with their contracts, Ball?s no-win-you-are-out attitude.
As far as the return on investment that advertising on a pro cycling team can have for a business, I don?t know enough to have a good solid base. Hopefully someone in the forum can be objective and help me understanding why advertising through a cycling team, any cycling team, makes business sense. My first impression is that you have to be nuts to do it. Does it work in Europe? Maybe. I guess if you go to Belgium where Quick-Step, a wood flooring company, appeals to a large blue collar population that is into the classics? How does an overpriced jean manufacturer get any return on their investment? I like cycling, but with all due respect to Ball, I ain?t buying a $400 set of jeans, just because he sponsors a cycling team.