Jakob and the closet...

Jakob: " Pssst! Where are you? "

The wardrobe door opens a crack. A suspicious eye is seen looking out.

Jakob: " Psst! Andy? Frankie?"

The wardrobe door opens to reveal a worried-looking Frankie. He makes a long arm and grabs Jakob by the collar, pulling him inside the wardrobe, and then closing the door behind him. Well, nearly closing it. Andy punches Jakob playfully on the arm, then ruffles his newly-regrown hair.

Jakob: "Now look, stop mucking about, I want to talk to you two."

Frankie and Andy look at each other, and pull mock apprehensive faces.

Andy: "Go on, then, what's the matter. I thought you had decided it was going to be all right?  "

Jakob: "I'm really not happy, dudes, really not happy.  "
Frankie: "Yeah, the whole world knows - let me guess, is it the whole sponsor-merger thing, yes?  "
Jakob: "Well, yes, for sure!  " (he waves his hands expressively, accidentally knocking Andy over as he does so) "I mean, you said 'private backer', you said 'no sponsor problems', you said '4 years' .....

Andy: "Yeah, dude, I know, I know.  " (somewhat shamefaced)

Jakob: "But when did you find out about this merger? "
Andy: "No sooner than you did, I can assure you.  "
Jakob: "Really?  "

Andy and Frankie nod, solemnly.

Andy: "Truly, the first we knew was that item in l'Equippe:  " (they all turn and spit, some more accurately than others)

Jakob: " Eeeuw! Frankie! "

Frankie: "Sorry...  "

Jakob: "So, look, if you read it in l'Equippe too, what did you do then?  "
Andy: "Straight to Mr Becca, I assure you, and he denied every word of it. Right to our faces! "
Frankie: "We weren't impressed. Well, actually, we believed him - I mean, why would he lie, to us? "

Jakob: "Well, exactly. So, why did he lie? "
Andy: "Oh, me and Frankie, who is my Brother: " (he looks sideways at Frankie, who pretends to be cross and punches him on the arm) "...we think it was that Mr Bruyneel pushing the deal. I mean, think about it, he had a team full of, er, how do we say it?"
Frankie: "Ageing riders?  "

Andy: "Well, to be frank, yes -   "
Frankie: "No, I'm Frank.  "
Andy: "Ha ha, funny Brother, aren't you? As I was saying, he had a team full of, well, you know, slightly older riders, sponsors everywhere, no Tour hope: what was he to do?"

Frankie: "In fact, he had sponsors willing to step up and put even more money in - look at Nissan. They were really keen to increase their sponsorship, to get their names on the jerseys instead of across the backsides,  " (there is sniggering from the other two. Frankie ignores them.) "...and he had no real team to offer them."

Andy: "Yes - and there's us with all these fantastic riders, a young team -  "
Jakob: "Well, you know, Stuey: Jensi..."
Andy: "Come on, you know what I mean - Stuey's fantastic, so going to miss him: and Jensi, well, young at heart.. besides, he's already spawned the Next Generation of Vois. Anyway, all right, a "mostly" young team, and no sponsor." (Andy shrugs) "I guess he thought it was the obvious thing to do?"

Jakob: "But we were supposed to be sponsor-free! Your Mr Becca, " (he turns aside to spit) "Oh, sorry Frankie, told us four years, no sponsor needed."
Andy: "Clearly that is no longer the case.  "
Jakob: "Well, what is it, then? Is it costing more money to run us than he'd thought? Is he running out of money?"
Frankie: "Oh, there was that trouble with the tax people..."
Andy: "Nah, it's all gone very quiet."

Jakob: (unable to stop) "...and, and, is he bored with us? Is he just a rich kid who's tired of his toy?"

A disembodied voice speaks: all three of them look around, upwards, downwards...

"These questions, and many others, will probably never be answered until the publication of "Becca: Riders are from Venus, Sponsors are from Mars" by Cougar Girl, published by Leelalei-Nimani Publications.

---

Actually, folks, schpleculation aside, it gets worse, as Geox have now hit the deck.

Pause while I shed a couple of sad tears for Geox.... remember them from last year - used to be Footon Servelo with the DISGUSTING outfit, yukky beige with the "semi-naked riders" effect.

They've had their troubles with sponsors: after the Ricco affair in 2008, they lost Saunier-Duval, their sponsors and were rescued at the last minute by Servetto. Then, last year, Servetto dumped them - well, that's a bit harsh, it might have been a 2-year contract, I suppose. Anyway, they had to scrape around for another sponsor, and came up with Geox, but were too late to get into the Pro Team list. So they've been riding as Pro-Continental this year, and did fantastically well on their wild-card invite to the Vuelta, which of course they won with J J Cobo.

Despite this, Geox have - in a move that rivals that of Mr Becca for heartlessness - decided that contracts count for nothing, and they have, as of the 20th, dropped the team like a hot potato. No scandal, no problems, they won a major race this year, but their sponsor has decided: now, what was it again? Oh yes:

"After a year of experience in professional cycling, the company considers its presence in this sport not strategic anymore,"

So much for their five-year contract! Huh! 

Their team manager, Mauro Gianetti, made a heartfelt plea for a new sponsor to step forward, but there really isn't enough time now, to get the bank guarantees etc in place.

Mr Gianetti is said to be considering suing the arse off of Geox taking Geox to court.

Poor man, poor team, at least there should be sympathy in the peloton for our boys now: it's not just them! Sponsors really can just dump a team, just like that. Pretty disgraceful, huh?