Rabobank pull out of cycling.

[monty1104]

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

After 17 years of sponsorship, Rabobank have pulled their sponsorship from all professional road teams. They will continue to sponsor the cyclocross and youth teams.

PS, yes I'm back. Still catching up on the Vuelta, so please no spoilers, although with 12km of stage 20, plus stage 21 to go, I'm pretty sure I know who won

 

[monty1104]

Here are some more articles.

http://www.rabosport.com/news/item/25793

http://www.rabosport.com/news/item/25803

 

[alfy!]

Pretty big move from a long time sponsor/team.

 

[mcgarnacle]

welcome back.

I've read elsewhere Rabobank will still be funding the team in 2013 as per their contracted commitment, but the riders will be sponsorless...........well, they won't have Rabobank on the lycra and team bus - Raboblank is how it's already being described.

Should be interesting if the team get good results and Rabobank miss out on the exposure. I wouldn't be surprised if they put the name back on.

 

[monty1104]

welcome back.

I've read elsewhere Rabobank will still be funding the team in 2013 as per their contracted commitment, but the riders will be sponsorless...........well, they won't have Rabobank on the lycra and team bus - Raboblank is how it's already being described.

Should be interesting if the team get good results and Rabobank miss out on the exposure. I wouldn't be surprised if they put the name back on.

I wonder if this is what they were eluding to in the article about tithing as a "white skin" team. If you look closely at the picture, they still have rabobank drink bottles.

 

[mcgarnacle]

i think they're just file pics. 'Rabobank' is on the frame as well.

There won't be any advertising of Rabobank anywhere next year......well, that's how they'll start off.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

This is not good for the sport at all. It is intriguing to me that Rabobank survived Rasmussen, but seemingly pulled the plug over Armstrong.

 

[Vader]

The Armstrong thing revealed just how widespread and systematic the doping has been (and almost certainly still is). Rasmussen was one rider, allowing them to continue the dreamland belief that he was a one-off.

 

[mcgarnacle]

The armstrong saga has also had much greater public exposure than Rasmussen ever did it. Banks are the most conservative of organisations.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Of course, but my point was that Rasmussen actually rode for Rabo, they haven't been mentioned at all over the past month.