Professional Cycling For the Fans - Phonak announcement Tuesday.

A little more about Phonak's future, from a Swiss paper
From Blick (my translation):

SOURCE: http://www.blick.ch/sonntagsblick/sport/artikel42614


On Tuesday at 11 O’Clock Rihs is Throwing in the Towel

It’s doping’s fault that starting next season, there will no longer be a significant Swiss ProTour cycling team. On Tuesday Andy Rihs (63) is throwing in the towel.

It was so beautifully planned. After seven years in professional cycling the Andy Rihs’ Swiss Hearing Aid company is distancing itself from the sport. Starting next season, it will be replaced by the US financial enterprise, iShares. The team would remain in Switzerland, and would continue to be led by “Andy Rihs Cycling AG” with Rihs at the helm.

Everyone was filled with enthusiasm, when the 30 year old American Floyd Landis won the Tour de France on the 23rd of July – a farewell present for Phonak, a signing bonus for iShares and an immense gratification for Rihs. In Paris on the night of the 24th of July they celebrated with a roaring party for 300 well-chosen guests.

Eddy Merckx regrets the end of the team
In the weeks following the most recent doping scandal: the Tour champion is also a cheater. Now Rihs definitively has a belly full of Testosterone, EPO, Auto and Hetero Blood transfusions. At the end of 2004, after his icon at the time, Tyler Hamilton (USA) was busted as a doper, the entrepreneur from Stafa, Switzerland, made up his mind to continue on. But now, it’s the end.

Eddy Merckx (61) knows this too. His son Axel (34) along with 60 additional employees of “AR Cycling AG” must look for another job. The living cycling legend from Belgium updated his friends at the end of last week with regret, about the demise of the only Swiss Pro-Tour team.

Rihs wasn’t able to enjoy his vacation in France. Convulsively, spasmodically he searched for a successor to save the team and the jobs of the employees. He was also in contact with the powerful US federation president, Jim Ochowicz, once the leader of the large professional teams of 7 Up and Motorola).

Ochowicz declined – and all the other potential Rihs-successors as well. In the meantime, iShares also pulled out. Did the excitement for cycling leave the finance firm?

Phonak riders are already seeking new teams
On Tuesday at 11 O’Clock in Opfikon, Switzerland, Rihs will report the end of the team. He would have loved instead to be introducing his successor. So, now all is washed up – barring a miracle in the next 48 hours. Steve Morabito (23) and Michael Schaer (19) know this too. Both of the Swiss professionals have already ended up with the Spanish Astana team. For most of the remaining Swiss Phonak riders it will be hard to find a new employer.

Mauro Gianetti (42) himself a former pro-rider and today the general manager of the spanish Saunier Duval team: “If Andy Rihs is getting out there every day and cannot find a successor, that’s a real shame for Swiss cycling.”

Can Gianetti offer a job for one or two Swiss riders? No, because: “My team for 2007 is practically complete and the Swiss market holds no special interest for our sponsors.”

Bicycle riding in Southern France.
Because Andy Rihs knows exactly how difficult the job employment environment will be for the soon to be unemployed employees of AR Cycling AG, he doggedly sought a successor. In the most recent days, he found nothing but cancellations.

At the latest, this weekend, Rihs appears to have grasped the failure of his undertaking. Beneath the French sun, the passionate cyclist pursued his favorite hobby.

In two days, a much more difficult path will be before him: in Opfikon, Rihs must announce the exit of the only Swiss ProTour team.

Sad (for the riders), I guess...but hardly a surprise. Wonder how much more we'll see from other teams as the result of Operacion Puerto, etc.

Axel Merckx should ride for his father's team.

I could see Axel Merckx riding for Disco.... especially since Lance is part owner and god friends with Eddy.

It will be very interesting to hear whether Rihs defends Landis at all. My guess is no.

Well Axel had announced his retirement, then backtracked during the tour and said he would come back for another year. He may just return to his original plans.

Can't say I didn't see that one coming.

I don't understand why the team is folding. Didn't iShares.com sign a contract for 3+ million to sponsor the team?

iShares backed out of its contract. Rihs couldn't find a replacement. It's over at the end of this season.

I could see Axel Merckx riding for Disco.... especially since Lance is part owner and god friends with Eddy.

Axel was once heavily recruited by Lance and Postal...in fact, several of us were chuckling about a Merckx riding a Trek...

This deal with Phonak is not unprecedented...it happened a few years back with Mapei after the Garzelli deal in the Giro. And that was the biggest and winningest team in cycling.

Well I hope Floyd is satisfied. He disgraced the sport and killed an entire team. Even if he he turns out to be innocent:rolleyes: we are minus one team. To be 'fair' there were so many other dopers in this team over the years it isn't all his fault, but he is the final nail in the coffin to be sure.

Axel was once heavily recruited by Lance and Postal...in fact, several of us were chuckling about a Merckx riding a Trek...

This deal with Phonak is not unprecedented...it happened a few years back with Mapei after the Garzelli deal in the Giro. And that was the biggest and winningest team in cycling.


I thought Axel was given a special provision in his team contracts to ride Merckx instead of the team cycle.

I thought Axel was given a special provision in his team contracts to ride Merckx instead of the team cycle.

He was.

Yeah, it is all Floyd's fault. Of course, he has never been provided documentation showing how the tests were conducted, he has never been shown that the tests were correctly performed according to protocol, his own experts have never been shown sufficient data regarding the tests to formulate a response, and he has never had a hearing where he could examine the evidence against him and present his own evidence. But, if a member of Bike Forums says he is guilty, it must be true. Let's shoot him at dawn.

By the way, one of our members was recently arrested for assaulting his girlfriend. For some bizarre reason, he has denied the charge, and is requesting a trial where he can present witnesses and evidence of his own. What planet does he live on? On THIS planet, if someone accuses you, that means you are absolutely guilty, must immediately confess, and must accept your punishment. Where did the twisted notion that evidence is needed come from? Must be one of those old notions from the '60's that went away with the hippies.

Yeah, it is all Floyd's fault. Of course, he has never been provided documentation showing how the tests were conducted, he has never been shown that the tests were correctly performed according to protocol, his own experts have never been shown sufficient data regarding the tests to formulate a response,


He had the right to be present, or have his designee present at the testing of the B sample.

It's not that bad for the sport. Now teams, sponsors and even fellow riders (who wants to lose a job because of cheater like Landis?) will be paying more attention to doping and perhaps establish some internal testing programs.

Sounds like you live at Guantanamo, alanbikehouston.