Team Rabobank without a sponsor after Giant backs off
Dutch World Tour side, Team Rabobank received the biggest surprise of its professional career after the Dutch bank announced its demise from the sport.
The team’s bike supplier Giant was the strongest candidate to back the side through the 2013 season but it has now been revealed that the firm will only serve as the team’s technical sponsor and not the title sponsor.
Tom Davies is Giant’s Europe Marketing Manager and cleared the doubts after Nos.nl reported him as saying,
“That's not our objective. This has not only to do with financial considerations. It would also not fit with Giant’s marketing strategy”.
However, he confirmed that the Giant will be pleased to continue operating at Rabobank’s men’s and women’s official apparel sponsor along with the mountain bike team.
International cycling, fishing and rowing equipment manufacturer, Shimano has also noted that it will continue with the team as a technical sponsor for the coming season.
Rabobank joined hands with the sports of cycling in 1996 after becoming the main backer for Team Rabobank.
It has been with the team throughout the 17 years and the news of its departure by the end of 2012 season has really been a shock.
The main reason behind the bank’s exit is USADA’s detailed investigation into Lance Armstrong which revealed many cyclists who cheated during their professional career.
Rabobank’s member of Managing Board, Bert Bruggink cited, "It is with pain in our heart, but for the bank this is an inevitable decision”.
“We are no longer convinced that the international professional world of cycling can make this a clean and fair sport. We are not confident that this will change for the better in the foreseeable future".
Team Rabobank still has to find a sponsor for the 2013 season, “We’ve been cycling for 17 years now with the name Rabobank proudly on our shirts and it hurts that going forward we’ll have to do without that name," it stated in a press
release.
The Dutch squad might also have to start the new season without a sponsor as a ‘while label team’ if it fails to find a sponsor in 2013.
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