2012 Pro-cycling season thread

Bob Stapleton is lurking and making noises about cycling sponsorship again.

Is there anyone without dodgy connections?

Yes. But Cancellara rode for Leferve, Ferretti, Riis and then Bruyneel and has a long association with Luigi Cecchini. I don't know whether he has doped or not but the company he has kept would suggest he has.

There are very few degrees of separation between a rider and a doping connection of course. Sky need to clean house yes, firing Yates, Rogers and possibly Julich would be a fucking good start. Or at least do something like Matt White did. Clinging to a 'it wasn't me, I didn't see nothing honest' like Yates is futile in the current climate: fess up, pay your dues and perhaps the sport can move forward

Sky would have been more sensible to adopt an approach similar to Slipstream, rather than this ridiculous 'zero tolerance' policy.

agreed, I don't think Sky are doping but they have managed to make an unholy mess of their PR

It is quite difficult to find a DS that doesn't have a connection to doping, given the majority are riders from the last 20 years.

cavendish confirmed for quick step next year
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cavendish-confirmed-for-omega-pharma-quickstep

Rabobank are pulling out of their team sponsorship, after 17 years, citing the USADA report as the reason.

They've stood idly by whilst their team dopes to the gills, then finally enact a management change to clean up the team, promote young, clean Dutch cyclists, extend their sponsorship to a women's team and now do this.

Cunts.

Seems they are pulling exposure, not the sponsorship, so the money remains until the end of the contract.

They are still cunts though.

Rabobank are pulling out of their team sponsorship, after 17 years, citing the USADA report as the reason.

They've stood idly by whilst their team dopes to the gills, then finally enact a management change to clean up the team, promote young, clean Dutch cyclists, extend their sponsorship to a women's team and now do this.

Cunts.

+1

Great news for cav and the team. Omega-Pharma QuickSprint.

Shame about rabobank, the dutch will be fuming. Hugh knock back for the bank in dutch countries now, expect huge repercussions for their business.

"Dear Rabobank, you were part of the problem. How dare you walk away from your young clean guys who are part of the solution. Sickening." – David Millar

The management may well foresee further scandal.

As I Dutch person, Rabobank's announcement has hit me pretty hard.
I partly see where they're coming from, but to withdraw support now (or at least after next year) is going hit the new generation of clean riders very hard. Massive massive shame.

To make a point, and to stop myself from further rage, I will change over my bank account to a different bank.

Skoda Netherlands also dropped Rabo team but will continue with races. They'd be a huge loss to Euro cycling sponsorship.

To be fair to Rabobank they're still funding the team through 2013 and continuing support cross and youth cycling. As pointed out here they're paying to not be on the team jersey.

^ that's only because they can't get out of the contract. They would drop all funding as well if they could...

I suppose as owners they could have fought/settled/paid-up on individual contracts closing the team overnight. That wouldn't have been a PR shitstorm though.

Rabobank are pulling out of their team sponsorship, after 17 years, citing the USADA report as the reason.

They've stood idly by whilst their team dopes to the gills, then finally enact a management change to clean up the team, promote young, clean Dutch cyclists, extend their sponsorship to a women's team and now do this.

Cunts.

An alternative interpretation is: they kept funding a team for 17 years through all the scandals when other sponsors pulled out and now this is the final straw. They cannot do any more for pro-cycling.

An alternative interpretation is: they kept funding a team for 17 years through all the scandals when other sponsors pulled out and now this is the final straw. They cannot do any more for pro-cycling.

Or simply rats deserting the sinking ship

Tour route is out.

Night time finish, lapping around the arc will be amazing! Will definitely go!

60km of individual tt and plenty of mountains in the last few days. Hope foomedog gets his shot and can smash it.

Tour route is out.
Hope foomedog gets his "shot" and can smash it.

No-needle policy, no?

Alex Dowsett off to Movistar.

anything to do with his unfortunate comments about Lance Armstrong?

He's a month older than me, bastard.

Intertube's gone nuts but @inrng says deal was done months back.