• Cycling

Rabobank to end sponsor involvement in cycling

Olympic gold medallist Marianne Vos rides for Rabobank © PA Photos

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Dutch bank Rabobank announced on Friday that it will end its sponsorship of professional cycling from December 31.

As a direct result of the recent United States Anti-Doping Agency report into the Lance Armstrong doping case, Rabobank has decided that the time is right to distance itself from the sport of cycling.

As heavy investors, Rabobank not only sponsored professional teams but also promoted and supported recreational cycling throughout the Netherlands. A statement on rabosport.com confirmed that the firm will continue with its sponsorship deals in amateur cycling, but will end associations with its men's and women's professional teams.

The findings on Armstrong have hurt the sport's image, with global names such as Nike already pulling away from the American. Armstrong has also stepped down as chairman of charity foundation Livestrong, and Rabobank has decided it needs to act.

Bert Bruggink, a member of Rabobank's managing board, said: "It is with pain in our heart, but for the bank this is an inevitable decision.

"We are no longer convinced that the international professional world of cycling can make this a clean and fair sport. We are not confident that this will change for the better in the foreseeable future.

"Cycling is a beautiful sport, which millions of Dutch people enjoy and a large number of those Dutch people are clients of Rabobank.

"But our decision stands: we are pulling out of professional cycling. It is painful. Not just for Rabobank, but especially for the enthusiasts and the cyclists who are not to blame in this."

The Rabobank team accrued 23 Tour de France stage wins between 1996 and 2012.

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