Harold Knebel confident to find a new sponsor after Rabobank’s exit
Exit of Rabobank from professional cycling was a shock that shattered the whole sport but the Dutch outfit, Team Rabobank suffered the most.
Team Director Harold Knebel has revealed that several companies are willing to sponsor the side but they want to ensure that the team rides ‘clean’.
He confirmed, receiving several queries from different companies enquiring about the Rabobank’s departure.
While commenting on the issue ANP reported Knebel as saying, "It is important that we have an international legal structure, created in consultation with the international professional teams“.
“You see that a team like Sky treats them differently than for example Garmin. It would be good to all agree on a process”.
“If that is not internationally possible, we will work with the Dutch pro teams, the National Federation or the NSF (the Dutch Olympic committee) to find a national method to recover cycling's credibility”.
The Dutch bank has a seventeen year history with the sport of cycling, taking over Team Rabobank’s support in 1996 and continuing by the end of 2012 season.
The sports of cycling is going through a sensitive time, the USADA investigation into Lance Armstrong has revealed many black sheep, who used unfair means to enhance their performance over the years.
Lance Armstrong and several of his former teammates from the former American side, Team USPS used systematic doping to achieve the desired results and Armstrong benefitted the most.
"We were shocked at the many details of the USADA report. For us, this has made the glass more than full. Enough is enough," Rabobank financial director Bert Bruggink said.
However, the latest report by the United States Anti Doping Agency revealed the truth, bringing all the culprits to justice but the cat and mouse chase has affected the credibility of the sport and several cycling fans and sponsors are backing off.
The USADA report also include a few Dutch cyclists, Levi Leipheimer admits doping during his time with the Dutch team and also the UCI’s inquiry to open the proceeding against Carlos Barredo as a result of his suspicious results while riding for Team Rabobank.
Even after losing its main sponsor, the Dutch team decided to continue its professional endeavour at the top level of the sport as a “white label” team, until it finds a new sponsor.
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