Andreau leaves Rock & Republic

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You know he was going nuts with the HGH during his suspension.

During... okay, he never stopped.

But look at the brow line. That's a serious Cromagnum-man look he's got going. Wow, that's crazy. I bet he's got HG gut too.
Last week I was checking out the pics from training camp on Bahati's site and I clicked on a thumbnail because I thought it was Cipo. Based on the hair and the facial features it looked like it could be him. It turned out to be Hamilton. Maybe it's mostly the hair, but he looks way different.

I hope he hasn't been seeing Mickey Rourke's plastic surgeon.

From Velonews:

In addition to the administration of blood tests for every rider prior to the event - and increased testing during the race, conducted by USADA laboratories in Salt lake City and Los Angeles - each team will submit its California roster to AEG this week, which will in turn submit those rosters to USA Cycling and the UCI to determine whether any riders have open files with anti-doping agencies.

So, what does this do to Rock Racing's ToC roster?

The saga continues [http://beta.velonews.com/article/71648]

Rock Racing names Tour of California squad
By Neal Rogers
Posted Jan. 29, 2008

Rock Racing team owner Michael Ball named the upstart squad’s long team for the Amgen Tour of California and listed Kayle Leogrande, the rider said to be suing the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, VeloNews learned Monday.

Several media outlets attended the team’s official presentation Sunday afternoon at a pair of rented Malibu mansions where Rock Racing has held its training camp since mid-January. VeloNews did not attend the press event after being specifically disinvited from the presentation. Ball reportedly announced the names of six riders that are definitely attending the race as well as five riders competing for the final two spots.

Five riders guaranteed starting slots are former ProTour riders Victor Hugo Peña, Oscar Sevilla, Tyler Hamilton, Santiago Botero and Freddie Rodriguez. The sixth rider guaranteed a start is Leogrande. The 2006 national elite criterium champion made headlines over the weekend after several sources told VeloNews and the Associated Press that he is the “John Doe” suing USADA for testing his B sample from a 2007 Superweek event after his A sample tested negative.

Ball also named Adam Switters, Mike Creed, David Clinger, Rudy Napolitano and Doug Ollerenshaw as the five riders who will compete for the final spots on the Tour of California team.

Leogrande’s lawsuit, filed January 23 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claims that by telling race organizers and the UCLA testing lab that the plaintiff is under investigation, USADA has damaged the cyclist’s reputation and ability to compete in races and secure sponsors.

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Former Rock Racing team director Frankie Andreu told VeloNews that he had been “informed in November of an adverse analytical finding with Kayle’s test from Superweek” and that Leogrande was under USADA investigation.

“I then passed on that information to team management,” Andreu said. “But I honestly don't know who filed that lawsuit against USADA.”

By naming Leogrande to the California squad, Ball could be defying Tour of California organizer AEG, which last week announced a round of anti-doping initiatives for the 2008 event and proclaimed that it would seek to bar any rider with an open anti-doping case from competing. Sevilla, Botero and Hamilton have also been named in connection with the ongoing Operación Puerto case in Spain. However, none of those riders is currently under a publicly disclosed formal investigation.

On Tuesday, the team issued a prepared statement reaffirming "its deep commitment to the sport of cycling and racing clean."

"Rock Racing blends the tradition of stage racing with passion and flamboyance that will breathe new life into professional cycling," the statement noted.

“We are all about supporting professional cycling and bringing a new level of excitement to bike races,” the statement quoted Ball as saying. “To us, supporting professional cycling and supporting clean sport are one and the same. Racing fast, fair and clean is the bedrock philosophy of this team. This core philosophy will take us to victory at the Tour of California.”

USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson said Tuesday that the review of rosters won't happen until at least next week.

"I haven’t seen any official rosters," he said. "The teams will submit their long teams to the race organizers, and the organizers will submit that to us. We will then query both the UCI and USADA as to what they consider to be open doping cases, answer yes or no, and will communicate back to the race organizer the status of anybody in question.

"It is AEG’s prerogative to not invite specific individuals. That way the can selectively prevent riders with open doping tests without penalizing an entire team"

Adding complexity to the mix is the fact that Rock Racing is a "founding sponsor" of this year’s Tour of California. The team is believed to have written a half-million dollar check to AEG for the sponsorship and a skybox at the Staples Center, which AEG owns.

Contacted by VeloNews on Tuesday evening, AEG spokesman Michael Roth declined to comment "on any specifics."

"Every team roster will be submitted to the UCI and USA Cycling this week and we will wait to hear back from them," he said. "I do want to say that it is not fair to accuse any rider without any firsthand knowledge. Of course we read what everyone else reads, but knowing that all these teams know our guidelines and procedures, there is no reason to believe that someone would ignore them. They know we are serious about our policy."

One name missing from Rock Racing’s California roster is that of Italian Mario Cipollini, who was believed to have signed with the team. However, several reports from camp have suggested that the Cipollini deal dissolved at the last minute.

Responding to inquiries about Cipollini’s status, Rock Racing representatives told VeloNews Friday that “The deal is still in the works and Cipo should be at the Tour of California in a few weeks.”

Team spokesperson Martine Charles confirmed with VeloNews that Leogrande had crashed over the weekend while training without a helmet, but denied that he was seriously injured.

“Kayle is fine,” Charles told VeloNews. “He had a few stitches and some road rash but he's back on the bike.”

Ball is confecting this bad-boy brand. The fact that the name got leaked, he won't give a hoot. More publicity probably having a "secret name" that gets uncovered filing suit against USADA than one rider.

All you need to get a ride on Ball's team, get some tatts, get a drug positive, make headlines, and you get a contract. Add to that, Ball says you are a "close friend of his".

How 'bout dat.

More headlines just feed the pocket of Ball.

He gotta sell alotta jeans for all this marketing budget. That skybox, wow. Staples Centre, is that the Lakers home court?

I did read Seven for Mankind jeans company was sold for 700 million. Not sure Ball does anywhere near that turnover. Think he was somewhere between 100 and 200 million turnover. I think Seven's value would have been somewhere near where their turnover was.

Ball is confecting this bad-boy brand. The fact that the name got leaked, he won't give a hoot. More publicity probably having a "secret name" that gets uncovered filing suit against USADA than one rider.

All you need to get a ride on Ball's team, get some tatts, get a drug positive, make headlines, and you get a contract. Add to that, Ball says you are a "close friend of his".

How 'bout dat.

More headlines just feed the pocket of Ball.

He gotta sell alotta jeans for all this marketing budget. That skybox, wow. Staples Centre, is that the Lakers home court?

I did read Seven for Mankind jeans company was sold for 700 million. Not sure Ball does anywhere near that turnover. Think he was somewhere between 100 and 200 million turnover. I think Seven's value would have been somewhere near where their turnover was.I'm not sure Ball's in it for the return on investment. Seems to be its more like those rich guys who own baseball or football teams for the fun of it. But I could be wrong. He definitely enjoys the limelight though.

I'm not sure Ball's in it for the return on investment. Seems to be its more like those rich guys who own baseball or football teams. But I could be wrong.
He is a raging egomaniac. I don't see what kind of return you get in the U.S. for sponsoring a cycling team. Unless you are Jelly Belly, selling something that is used by the cycling public and related sports, what customers will really care about a fringe sport like cycling?

He is a raging egomaniac. I don't see what kind of return you get in the U.S. for sponsoring a cycling team. Unless you are Jelly Belly, selling something that is used by the cycling public and related sports, what customers will really care about a fringe sport like cycling?Or Amgen, the maker of EPO, sponsoring the Tour of California...;)

He is a raging egomaniac. I don't see what kind of return you get in the U.S. for sponsoring a cycling team. Unless you are Jelly Belly, selling something that is used by the cycling public and related sports, what customers will really care about a fringe sport like cycling?
Bro, take a look at the metrics on California Tour.

One win there, you get so much publicity, it covers a budget like Kodak Gallery Sierra for the entire year.

This is pretty funny.

http://www.fatcyclist.com/2008/01/31/rock-racing-qa/

And excerpt:
Question: I heard Mario Cipollini is also racing for Rock Racing. When was Cipo caught doping?
Answer: Actually, you aren’t strictly required to be a known doper to be on the Rock Racing team.

Question: So why is Cipollini on the Rock Racing team, if he is in fact on the racing team?
Answer: If Cipollini is on the Rock Racing team — and we are happy to both confirm and deny that this is the case — it is for one extremely important reason: Cipollini looks like someone who would wear $300 pants.

Bro, take a look at the metrics on California Tour.

One win there, you get so much publicity, it covers a budget like Kodak Gallery Sierra for the entire year. I am skeptical that cycling in the U.S. has the profile to justify the kind of money Ball is spending. A win will probably merit ten seconds or less on a general sports broadcast; it will probably be on that section of the sports news where a broadcaster practices being an auctioneer by giving the results of eight fringe sports in thirty seconds.

Maybe if Ball has plans for his fashion empire to invade europe...

I am skeptical that cycling in the U.S. has the profile to justify the kind of money Ball is spending. A win will probably merit ten seconds or less on a general sports broadcast; it will probably be on that section of the sports news where broadcaster practices being an auctioneer by giving the results of eight fringe sports in thirty seconds.

Maybe if Ball has plans for his fashion empire to invade europe...The guy makes a fortune. This is his toy. The publicity is a bonus. How many sports team owners in the US are doing it solely as an investment? The guy loves cycling. It's his hobby. And it gives him a chance to mix it on the world cycling stage and see his words and name in print..

I am skeptical that cycling in the U.S. has the profile to justify the kind of money Ball is spending. A win will probably merit ten seconds or less on a general sports broadcast; it will probably be on that section of the sports news where broadcaster practices being an auctioneer by giving the results of eight fringe sports in thirty seconds.

Maybe if Ball has plans for his fashion empire to invade europe...
Ball wants the Euro export markets.

You are right Bro. Above about 500 grand, he is overcapitalising his marketing spend for the US domestic cycling market. Well, perhaps not, you need to hit a benchmark to get a rider who can win in California (tour of Cali).

About 1 million you can get a win in Cali. But still, it is close to overcapitalising even with a Cali competitive squad.

Found this link at DPF ... from bicycle.net (http://www.bicycle.net/2008/rock-racing-owner-michael-ball-sounds-off-on-exclusion-of-select-riders-from-tour-of-california), an account of today's Rock Racing press conference - in which Ball insists that Hamilton, Sevilla, and Botero will be riding tomorrow (along with Cipollini - looks like Leogrande is now the odd man out), and that perhaps he might pull his whole team: “We ride as a team. We ride together or we don’t,” suggesting that if any of his riders are not allowed to start that he’ll pull the entire Rock Racing team. A bit disturbing was this quote, is he suggesting that in the end he doesn't care if they don't ride as long as he makes money? But at the end of the day, Ball said it himself. “I’m a business man. I’ll sell a ton of product. I’ll make a ton of money. And I’ll treat this as a lesson.”

Found this link at DPF ... from bicycle.net (http://www.bicycle.net/2008/rock-racing-owner-michael-ball-sounds-off-on-exclusion-of-select-riders-from-tour-of-california), an account of today's Rock Racing press conference - in which Ball insists that Hamilton, Sevilla, and Botero will be riding tomorrow (along with Cipollini - looks like Leogrande is now the odd man out), and that perhaps he might pull his whole team: A bit disturbing was this quote, is he suggesting that in the end he doesn't care if they don't ride as long as he makes money?
He is everything he appears to be and less..

He is everything he appears to be and less..

http://www.cyclingnews.com/newsphotos.php?id=/photos/2008/news/feb08/feb16news2/CIPOLLINI-CALI9837


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I think its really good for the doping system that Sevilla & co are excluded from the ToC. The doping system needs more decisions in the way Northern Korea treats its offenders of all kinds of things.Its good PR and you don't need to do anything substantial to change the system so business can go on as usual.

Its brilliant, the audience buy it and who cares about a few guys who are prohibited to go after their job without any form of legal process. If enough people buy that we could actually introduce it in the rest of our society. Why not? It works in Northern - Korea.

The rule is: you are not allowed to dope. The rule also is: athletes can be punished by disciplinary procedures and if they are convicted they can appeal at CAS against the decision. But who cares about rules. Lots of teams and riders don't. Lots of Race organisers don't, lots of federations don't. Welcome to the jungle.

Either all have to follow all rules or you have chaos and anarchy and all can do what ever they want. The behaviour of several race organisations, several federations and a certain world body is as damaging for the sport as doped athletes.

I think its really good for the doping system that Sevilla & co are excluded from the ToC. The doping system needs more decisions in the way Northern Korea treats its offenders of all kinds of things.Its good PR and you don't need to do anything substantial to change the system so business can go on as usual.

Its brilliant, the audience buy it and who cares about a few guys who are prohibited to go after their job without any form of legal process. If enough people buy that we could actually introduce it in the rest of our society. Why not? It works in Northern - Korea.

The rule is: you are not allowed to dope. The rule also is: athletes can be punished by disciplinary procedures and if they are convicted they can appeal at CAS against the decision. But who cares about rules. Lots of teams and riders don't. Lots of Race organisers don't, lots of federations don't. Welcome to the jungle.

Either all have to follow all rules or you have chaos and anarchy and all can do what ever they want. The behaviour of several race organisations, several federations and a certain world body is as damaging for the sport as doped athletes.
UCI not shooting them in the street.

UCI not shooting them in the street.
No but the way of geoverning is exactly the same. If they want to ban riders they should open proceedings against them.

No but the way of governing is exactly the same. If they want to ban riders they should open proceedings against them.Not the same. UCI is not a government. It is a nonprofit corporation. Hamilton Botero Sevilla can go to the TAS. Tour of California is a business. If business fire you - go to court.

Hamilton needs new wife. Botero Sevilla needs new gynecologist. Or move to Portugal with rest of OP cyclists. Or tell truth. But they are too old. Would you hire lying cheating worker?

Not the same. UCI is not a government. It is a nonprofit corporation. Hamilton Botero Sevilla can go to the TAS. Tour of California is a business. If business fire you - go to court.

Hamilton needs new wife. Botero Sevilla needs new gynecologist. Or move to Portugal with rest of OP cyclists. Or tell truth. But they are too old. Would you hire lying cheating worker?
UCI is a governing body. Hamilton, Botero and Sevilla don't have to go to CAS. They have a professional riders license and have the right to race. This is how the rules are, also for race organisers. If they invite a team, all riders of that team who have a license and are not part of an open official investigation have the right to start (read the team- ToC contracts and UCI rules). The federations involved stated that there is no open investigation against Botero, Sevilla and Hamilton. They have the right to start. I don't like dopers but I even more don't like dictorial ways of governing without giving a damn of following the rules. You can't ban people for not following the rules in a way where you are yourself not following the rules. Thats a joke and organisations that work that way, are no serious organisation, nor a serious business. They are unreliable.

Nobody forced ToC (read AEG) to invite Rock Racing. Everybody knew who was in that team.