Symmetrics close to folding

Crankyfeet

Symmetrics financial situation gets worse as now three major sponsors have departed and the annual budget has decreased from $1,000,000 to $650,000.

Story sourced from Cyclingfansanonymous.

coneofsilence

On the other side of things, theres team isle of man...

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/sport/Isl...team.3938788.jp

helmutRoole2

This is too bad.

When I was still a working journalist, I remember in 2000 the Symmetrics team manager -- I believe it was Kevin Cunningham -- in his first year told me he had a plan to take the team national in three years with only Canadian talent. At that time, Broadmark, not Symmetrics, was the main amateur team in the Northwest. They had several BC riders including Cameron Evans and in 2000 they put Svien Tuft in the pro peloton along with Russel Stevenson and Jonny Sundt. The next year they put in Evan Elken, Tom Peterson and Tyler Farrar... a real talent pipeline with Peterson and Farrar making the jump to the Pro Tour.

Cunningham made this statement at the storied Tehuya-Seabeck-Tehuya Road Race on the Washington Olympic Peninsula. It was, and still is, a very difficult race and the best Northwest riders have won it. It's an interesting course with three steep pitches of about three kilometers and several rolling sections in between. The course dictates that the winner be either the sprinter who is the best climber, or the climber who is the best sprinter.

I'm getting off topic, but this is worth elaborating on. The climbs are difficult and the roads are narrow and, as Crankyfeet can attest, slippery on the descent because it normally rains during this April race. Some of the course is on one-lane Forest Service roads. The climbs are difficult, but they are spread out over the 64-mile course, which allows sprinters to marshal their teams on the climbs and pull the climbers back on the sometimes rolling, sometimes flat and often windswept sections between ascents.

And these climbs waste no time getting started. When the peloton hits the first, it makes a hard downhill left on a chip-seal one-laner that brings the group to a craw and then the road goes straight up. The field splits into pieces and slowly reforms... agonizingly slow. Sprinters have watched their teams implode while trying to bring back breaks, or, in some cases, trying to bring back the front of the peloton. I've watched sprinters marshal their teams so they got dropped over all three climbs only to keep them together enough to come roaring back in the final kilometers to win it in a bunch sprint of about 20 or so.

I stated in a column one time that if a good sprinter slipped into a break comprised of climbers, played his cards right and made it over the last pitch, he would lead the climbers to the line like lambs to slaughter. I saw Kenny Williams do that one year.

Anyway, Cunningham was saying that his team would win Tehuya-Seabeck-Tehuya the next year. It seemed improbable, but the next year, all the BC riders on Broadmark were on Symmetrics and yes they won Tehuya-Seabeck-Tehuya with Dylan Seabol. The next year they got Tuft back out of retirement along with multiple Canadian TT champion Eric Wolberg.

Symmetrics will be missed. They have been a great organization with a commitment to Canadian riders.

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"Bait in 08" --nns1400

Crankyfeet

Thanks for the interesting story Helmut. Broadmark have since changed their name to Hagens Berman and have only six guys listed in their elite team on their website.

And there's still a hope for Symmetrics if they can secure some sponsorship in the next 6-12 months. They are sleeping in sleeping bags whilst travelling and have slashed their contract salaries in an effort to keep afloat while they search.

confusedfan

But in the meantime, expect some good performances from Symmetrics riders as ammunition just in case they need to end up looking for new contracts. Like Cam Evans winning GC at San Dimas over Oscar Sevilla ... obviously there were a lot of Canadians like myself wondering what happened to Evans in the meantime, as he finished dead last (9 min down) in the Redlands prologue yesterday, such that Symmetrics had to issue a specific press release stating that Evans has been ill.

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Bro Deal

Not getting a invite to California did not help.

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"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

confusedfan

For sure - California being a lot closer to potential sponsors in BC than say, Georgia (but good that Symmetrics did get that Georgia invite).

And another good Symmetrics performance today, Francois Parisien in the break and 4th on the stage at Redlands for 3rd on GC...

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tonyzackery

It would obviously assist Symmetrics' sponsorship cause outside of Canada if they opened up their squad to include riders from nations other than Canada...Apparently Canadian companies aren't stepping up to the plate to support their home-grown talent...too bad...

Powerful Pete

How much media coverage can you get in Canada from a cycling team sponsorship?

In other words, is it worth your media buck or is it something that only a cycling crazed CEO would consider?

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De Rosa Planet
Campagnolo Per Sempre!
PAOLO BETTINI CAMPIONE DEL MONDO x 2!

thunder

why does it have to be a secondary media play, for Canadians?

Whey can it not be a Canadian firm, that has a good fit with the demographic in the market symmetrics competes in?

A Canadian firm that appeals to the American cycling demographic?

Powerful Pete

Fair enough, seemed, from what I read, that the point was to have an all Canadian team racing and winning. Somehow I doubt that would be a marketing hook for the American market...

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De Rosa Planet
Campagnolo Per Sempre!
PAOLO BETTINI CAMPIONE DEL MONDO x 2!

thunder

no, it will garner secondary media, back into canada, but the primary local media.

So it is a better play. To see it as a vehicle for the destination market geographies.

helmutRoole2

They may change their marketing strategy, but cycling in Canada -- in fact, Olympic sports in general -- enjoy great popularity. Races in Canada are well received by the general population. I base this on that nation's support of the world championships in, what was it, 2003, and it's continued support of the BC Super Week. The streets are packed for BC Super week, especially Gastown.

If their aim is/was to become a Pro Tour team, which I don't think it is, then obviously they'll need talent outside their own country. But, if their aim is/was to be a top-notch North American team, they can do that with Canadians, no prob.

I think the real issue is, what is the marketing value from sponsoring a top-notch North American based team? The $1 million annually spent, from a business standpoint, maybe could have been used more wisely. I know the owner of Symmetrics is himself a cyclist.

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"Bait in 08" --nns1400

confusedfan

Did everyone see the article last year about "inside the Symmetrics compound"? - including how riders Svein Tuft and Christian Meier, as well as the team mechanic live in (fancy) trailers on Kevin Cunningham's property right near the main team equipment warehouse.

(ie. not only is Cunningham a cyclist, but he is highly involved with the team).

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