Rabobank quits pro cycling sponsorship

After 17 years of sponsoring one of the more visible teams in the pro cycling peloton, Dutch financial-service provider Rabobank announced Friday that it is dropping its support of both men’s and women’s Netherlands-based squads.

Bert Bruggink, member of the institution’s managing board said in a statement, “We are no longer convinced that the international professional world of cycling can make this a clean and fair sport.”

The company’s decision comes in the aftermath of the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s damning report on Lance Armstrong. Also, the recent revelation that a Rabobank rider, Spaniard Carlos Barredo, was caught doping via the biological passport system plays a role. An ex-Rabobank rider, Levi Leipheimer, was sacked from Omega Pharma – QuickStep after his USADA testimony revealed he had doped as well.

Some were dismayed by the move. Garmin-Sharp’s reformed doper David Millar of Britain said in a tweet addressed to Rabobank: “You were part of the problem. How dare you walk away from your clean young guys who are part of the solution. Sickening.”

The Dutch bank took over title sponsorship from Novell Softwear-Decca in 1996. Rabobank has been home to such distinguished riders as Oscar Friere, Thomas Dekker, Michael Boogerd and Denis Menchov, who took three Grand Tour titles while wearing the orange, blue and white. Current riders are Marianne Vos, Luis Leon Sanchez and Robert Gesink.

An embarrassing moment for Rabobank came during the 2007 Tour de France. The squad removed one of its riders, Dane Michael Rasmussen, from the race while he was wearing the yellow jersey, opening the door for Alberto Contador’s first Tour victory. Rasmussen had misled his team about his whereabouts and was fired by Rabobank.

There are indications that either Giant, the squad’s bike provider, may take over sponsorship or the team may attempt to carry on without a title sponsor in the High Road model.

While Rabobank has left because it’s not confident that cycling can be fixed, Skins, a partner with the Rabobank teams, Team Lotto Belisol and Team NetApp, is trying to put pressure on the UCI. In an open letter, the chairman of the performance sports-wear company, Jaimie Fuller, asks UCI president Pat McQuaid to “act now to restore confidence in world cycling or withdraw from office.” Fuller demands that the UCI clarify its position on Armstrong and such matters as a donation the cyclist gave the UCI 10 years ago to develop the sport of cycling. In a separate statement currently on the Skin’s homepage, Fuller raises the issue of cycling sponsors taking legal action to recover their investments into the sport.

The UCI plans to address USADA’s report on Monday.