Once And Ibanesto.com Out Of Cyclism!

[ostas]

in the proximus hours,2 of the best team of the world hav annuncied that break his tema after of 15years of succesful.

i think that this is very bad for all those aficiontes of cycling that we enjoyed with the great teams.

once and banesto thanks for all!

sorry for my language english!

[bac]

Are you stating that ONCE and Ibenesto.com are done with sponsorship regarding their cycling teams????? That would be a real bummer!

[ostas]

ONCE have some possibility of founding other sponsor,but his tema name already will not be ONCE! and BANESTO seems that is official and his bikers will have to find other teams!

[caadman]

WHAT??? that's terrible if their pulling out, is that effective at the end of this year??, I mean Once and I banesto.com are not going to be around next year??


Benjamin

[RegularGuy]

Originally posted by ostas
sorry for my language english!

No apology is necessary. You made yourself clearly understood. That is better than I could do in any other language.

I'm sorry to hear about ONCE and iBanesto. Both have been great teams and widely-recognized sponsors. I hope that the teams find new sponsors quickly.

[lotek]

I read that somewhere this morning. Seems that Once
were going to drop sponsorship at end of next year (2004)
but its been pushed up. I'm not sure of exact reasons and
I can't find the article again. . .

Marty

[don d.]

Just a quick FYI-ONCE(the Spanish National Lottery)is undergoing a change in managment at the top. Speculation is that new management will buy out the riders contracts who are signed through the end of 2004 and terminate the team.

This is speculation. It is being reported as such in ProCycling News.

Eroski, the Once co-sponsor, wants to continue in a sponsorship role, but not as the main sponsor, only as a co-sponsor. So things are uncertain right now for ONCE.

[firebolt]

From: http://www.procycling.com/news_main.asp?newsId=4610

A change in leadership within the ONCE organisation could result in the cycling team being forced to fold at the end of this season instead of at the end of 2004 as was previously indicated. Rumours were circulating during the final days of the Tour de France that ONCE, the Spanish lottery for the blind, was contemplating this dramatic decision.

This talk was underpinned by the results of ONCE’s internal elections, which saw José Maria Arroyo, a long-time supporter of the cycling squad, removed from his position of head of the company. According to a report in today's El Diario Vasco, Arroyo and his team have been replaced by a new management team that is intending to bring about a change in focus within ONCE’s marketing strategy.

Team boss Manolo Saiz was unaware of any plans on ONCE’s part to pull out of the sport this year. "All I can say is that we’ve got a meeting with the new board or management on August 4, and I suppose if there are any changes they will tell us then," he told El Diario Vasco.

The possibility of ONCE pulling out a year before the conclusion of their latest three-year commitment to Saiz’s team is complicated slightly by seven of the team’s 23 riders being signed to contracts that terminate at the end of 2004. Those seven are José Azevedo, Jörg Jaksche, Marcos Serrano, Angel Vicioso, Alberto Contador, Gian Paolo Caruso and Jonathan Gonzalez. However, none are reported to be on excessively high salaries and ONCE’s new management may decide it is worth paying them off in order to save a much larger amount of money.

Reports in Spain have suggested that current ONCE co-sponsors Eroski and Würth might be interested in stepping up their involvement if ONCE do pull out. However, Eroski have already indicated that, although they are interested in staying in cycling beyond 2004, they would only do so as part of a co-sponsorship package.

Among those riders out of contract at the end of this year is ONCE team leader Joseba Beloki. The Spaniard was released from hospital in Vitoria in late July following treatment on the injuries he sustained when he crashed on the Tour de France stage to Gap. "It’s too early to say what my plans are," said Beloki following his release. "I’ve got several months of recuperation ahead of me and I still can’t think about the next Tour yet."

Beloki broke his femur, elbow and rest in the crash that occurred as he was pushing hard in the pursuit of Alexandre Vinokourov on the côte de la Rochette. Beloki confirmed after an operation on his injuries that he would not ride again this season. He also thanked Lance Armstrong for ringing the clinic to check on the Spaniard’s progress and admitted that the period off the bike would enable him to spend more time with his first child, whose birth is expected in August.

[~LongRider~]

It was a pretty disastrous Tour for Once. Talk about a bad year for Beloki. It's bad enough to lose his health, but now his team too. Where do you all think he will land? He deserves his own team.

[Alex33]

cyclingnews.com are reporting that Manolo Saiz has named football team Real Madrid as a possible sponsor, although they acknowledge it's just speculation at this point.

This seems interesting because Real Madrid are in the middle of a major marketing campaign including a pre-season tour of Asia and the purchase of David Beckham from Manchester United, so it would make sense. In the long run, though, I'm not sure how committed they would be to the sport. I just don't see them staying as a sponsor for 15 years, like ONCE.

[Rossgo]

anyone heard how beloki is?

[don d.]

Beloki is well enough to be discussing the terms of his next contract with several interested teams. Won't be racing till next year though.