PRESS CLIPPINGS
Rock Racing in the News.
LAST UPDATE: February 20, 2008.
USA Today, Sal Ruibal:
SAUSALITO, Calif. — The typical owner of a professional cycling team is a skinny former pro rider who wears fleece vests, drives a sensible European station wagon with bike racks and speaks three languages.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/cycling/2008-02-18-rock-racing_N.htm?csp=34
Sacramento Bee, Blair Anthony Robertson:
Two hours before the race, Michael Ball, American cycling's most provocative new team owner, was huddled under a makeshift tent behind the stage. He was waiting to present a $10,000 check to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento. Ball, 44, is the owner and designer for Rock & Republic, the apparel company known for its "edgy, progressive design inspired by rock and roll," according to the company's Web site. It's also known for selling $300 pairs of jeans. His team is called Rock Racing.
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/724662.html (Site registration required)
Cyclingnews.com, Kirsten Robbins:
Conquering several obstacles that had to do with contracts and licenses finally allowed 2002 World Champion Mario Cipollini the passage to stand on the start line of the 2008 Tour of California. Three years into his retirement, the cycling world thought that the opportunity to watch a sprint involving the flashy Italian demolishing his competitors by several bike lengths was over. While he did not beat his rivals Tom Boonen or Heinrich Haussler, taking third place against the world's fastest young talents was considered a victory in its own right.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/feb08/feb20news2
Bike Radar.com, James Huang:
Rock Racing’s Mario Cipollini is already proving that he was worth whatever money team owner Michael Ball has agreed to pay him.
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/pro-bike-mario-cipollinis-very-unofficial-machine-14617
Cycling Weekly, Stephen Farrand:
Mario Cipollini was only third in the Tour of California sprint in Sacramento behind Tom Boonen (Quick Step) and Heinrich Haussler (Gerolsteiner) but was happy to have proved to himself, his younger rivals and the controversial owner of the Rock Racing team Michael Ball, that he could still be competitive at 40 after three years in retirement.
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/Lion_King_Roars_Again_at_40_article_181632.html
VeloNews, Ben Delaney:
Tom Boonen has now won stages of major races on three continents. The big Belgian blew past High Road’s Mark Cavendish to grab the stage 2 win of the Amgen Tour of California in a drizzly downtown Sacramento. Gerolsteiner’s Heinrich Haussler came second with the recently out-of-retirement Mario Cipollini showing he still can turn the pedals with a third-place performance.
Bicycle.net, Briggs:
Ahead of stage one of the Tour of California, the Rock Racing team was still up in arms about the exclusion of its three GC stars, Santiago Botero, Oscar Sevilla, and Tyler Hamilton. In particular, the American Hamilton had plenty to say about his exclusion from the eight day stage race. “AEG still owes me an explanation, to my face, about why I was excluded this year. I need to see some real hard evidence. I have yet to see that. I’ve served my time long ago.”
http://www.bicycle.net/2008/hamilton-rock-racing-fighting-mad-over-rider-exclusions
Velonews.com, Neal Rogers:
It may be the smallest team to line up for the Amgen Tour of California, but Rock Racing has managed to be the biggest story on the eve of this country’s largest stage race.
Marin Independent Journal, Elliott Almond:
The Amgen Tour of California just got more interesting. Mario Cipollini, the legendary Italian cyclist once known as "Super Mario,'' is ending a two-year retirement to compete for Rock Racing, the Mercury News has learned.
Cyclingnews.com:
Michael Ball, the owner of the Rock Racing team, called a press conference on Saturday to discuss the team's unconfirmed start for the Tour of California, which set to kick off on Sunday, February 17, with the downtown prologue in Palo Alto.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/feb08/feb16news2
Cyclingnews.com, Gerard Knapp:
Is Rock Racing heading for a humbling backdown or a withdrawal from the Tour of California? That appears to be the unresolved matter following another press conference held Saturday afternoon where the owner of the Tour of California, AEG, reiterated its stance in regard to team selections and said it would not allow the preferred roster of the emerging USA squad, Rock Racing, to enter its event that starts tomorrow.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/feb08/feb16news3
Velonews.com, Neal Rogers:
Rock Racing team owner Michael Ball insisted Saturday that his team will start with all eight of the riders whose names he submitted to race organizers — including Tyler Hamilton, Oscar Sevilla and Santiago Botero — or none at all.
Bicycle.net, Briggs:
Rock Racing team owner Michael Ball called a press conference at the Garden Court Hotel in Palo Alto today to discuss, according to a team spokesman, “the Rock racing team for 2008, some of the anti-doping policies and integrity of Rock Racing, the changes needed in the sport today, specifically the need for a rider’s union and rider’s rights, a new business model for cycling and finally, what Rock Racing is doing with the ‘Rock the Cure’ (program) in terms of giving back to the community, and finally the responsibility we all have to change the face of cycling.”
Cyclingnews.com, staff report:
Michael Ball, the owner of the Rock Racing team, called a press conference on Saturday to discuss the team's unconfirmed start for the Tour of California, which set to kick off on Sunday, February 17, with the downtown prologue in Palo Alto.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/feb08/feb16news2
Pezcyclingnews.com, Dave Aldersebaes:
The stage is set for the first showdown of the Tour of California and the race has not even started. Rock Racing team owner Michael Ball insists that Tyler Hamilton, Santiago Botero, Oscar Sevilla & Mario Cipollini will all start the race, even though none are listed on the latest offical start sheet from AEG...
Cycling Weekly, Stephen Farrand:
The Tour of California starts with a 3.4km prologue time trial on Sunday afternoon, but the eve of the race was marred by a public spat between organisers and the Rock Racing team about who should be allowed to race.
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/Tour_of_California_Starts_With_a_Spat_article_181098.html