Possible sponsor put money into Moto GP and soccer instead
In the wake of the confirmation that the Bike Live management team behind the Geox TMC project had accepted that it can’t run a team next year, sporting manager Joxean Fernández Matxin has said that he intends to return to cycling.
“I’m not throwing in the towel,” he told Deia.com. “I simply struggled to push through a project. We had to rush to get a sponsor and we did not do it in time.”
Matxin disclosed that the management team were aiming to secure the backing of the OID (Organización impulsora de Discapacitados), which acts for the disabled much as the ONCE setup works for the blind. The intention was to bring it on board as a sponsor, with the backing of the team offering the organization a chance to secure important publicity, but instead the OID opted to invest its money on Moto GP and soccer in Canabria.
The sponsorship of other sports have become less expensive due to the challenges facing the global economy. At the same time, backing cycling teams have become more costly due to the points system introduced by the UCI and its effects on pushing up salaries.
“From now on I will work towards 2013,” he vowed. “Certain doors remain open and others have been opened. I am working on the basis that I know where to go [to work on sponsorship]. But it is a complicated task and we must be aware of the current situation.”
The future of the team was threatened when, back in October, title sponsor Geox dramatically walked away from cycling. Matxin and team general manager Mauro Gianetti tried to secure new backing, talking to the Venezuelan government amongst others, but could not fill the gap in the finances in time.
Riders such as Vuelta a España winner Juan Jose Cobo and David de La Fuente have been left without a team for 2012, although there are persistent suggestions that Cobo has already finalised a deal with Movistar. Matxin has promised to help ensure that as many of the riders and staff as possible find alternative employment for 2012.
“I will fight for my people, I have made that clear.”