Rabobank liveblog by @TourDeJose

What we know
All press releases below

10.45
This morning at 9am the press release that Rabobank will end its sponsorship for the men’s proteam and the women’s team. There are 28 riders with a 2013 contract and 12 women.

The Rabobank will continue to sponsor the Dutch Cycling Union, including the youth cycling project untill 2016.

There are currently negociations for the continental, cross and offroad teams to ride under the flag of the KNWU.

10.56
Bruggink (CFO Rabobank): “We think cycling and its associate organizations are sick and beyond repair. Rabobank lost faith that the sport will be able to cleanse itself in the foreseeable future. We read USADA’s report and yesterday the Barredo case came out. We are shocked by the report and its extent in all of cycling. The tesimonies under oath. It is enough. It is too much and we’ll end our sponsorship per December 31, 2012. Our decision is clear, we stand by it. it was inevitable”

The riders received the exact same press release as the press did, only 30 minutes prior.

There are still a lot of Legal ramifications that are currently investigated.

Men

Bruggink: “The men’s proteam riders will move to a foundation, independent. That foundation will keep the WorldTour license, we hope. Rabobank will honour its financial obligations and will pay for the team in 2013. The name will not be on the jerseys anymore. The same will possibly apply to women’s team too.”

The transition management will be done by Harold Knebel.

Women

“Our sympathy for Marianne Vos and her team is very big. We will continue to support her Olympic ambitions untill 2016.”

11.02:
RobertGesink: “I think I’m the first of a new generation. It’s very sad that everything we started suffers from things happening in the past

11.35:
Knebel to NuSport: We will ride in 2013. During that year we’ll look for a solution for the future. All ties with Rabobank are severed.”

11.38
Paul Martens: I can’t blame the sponsor. But it doesnt feel fair. I believe in our team and hope we’ll have a chance to continue to fight

11.51
Marianne Vos on twitter: From Rabo’s perspective it’s understandable but unfortunately so many innocent in our sport are affected. I hope we can continue to build our team after this year. To show pure sport with passion.

Marianne Vos to Omroep Brabant: “If Rabobank wants to support me they’ll have to support the team. I can’t do it alone.”

11.52
Skoda Netherlands ends sponsorship so Rabobank (or the new team’s name) will have to look for different cars. http://www.autoweek.nl/autonieuws/20978/skoda-na-2012-geen-sponsor-wielersport-meer?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+autoweek%2Fnieuws+%28AutoWeek.nl+nieuws%29 …

13.43
Giant is considering taking ove Rabobank’s sponsorship, stepping up from current sponsor deal

Press releases:

Barredo (October 18)

End of sponsorship (October 19)

Press release about white label men’s team

The men’s team 2013:

The women with a 2013 contract:

The press release about the foundation for 2013