Jim Ochowicz is back as general manager(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Jim Ochowicz hard at work trying to save his team(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Richie Porte and BMC GM Jim Ochowicz relax before the start of stage 3
Jim Ochowicz pushes BMC's Danilo Wyss(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Jim Ochowicz and Max Sciandri(Image credit: Daniel Benson)
BMC general manager Jim Ochowicz and BMC team owner Andy Rihs off for a ride(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
BMC manager Jim Ochowicz has declined to comment on a report in Wednesday’s edition of L’Équipe that suggested that Polish company CCC was prepared to take over title sponsorship of the team in 2019.
"There's been so many rumours the past few months. anything could be good news, but I'm not commenting on rumours. Otherwise it’s a daily sort of a 'yes and no, maybe not, maybe yes,' and I'm not going through that," Ochowicz told Cyclingnews in Lorient on Wednesday.
With BMC bicycles no longer in a position to serve as the team's primary backer, Ochowicz has been engaged in a search for a new title sponsor. He has repeatedly stressed that he had no fixed deadline to find a new sponsor, but as the search has drawn on, a number of BMC's top riders have been linked with moves to other teams.
Richie Porte indicated earlier in the year that he would wait until May before looking for a new team, and Cyclingnews understands that the Australian is set to move to Trek-Segafredo in 2019.
In recent weeks, a number of BMC staff members have left the set-up. Marc Biver, who was brought in to help secure additional sponsorship, has departed, as have communications officer Georges Lüchinger and Richie Porte’s coach, David Bailey.
On Wednesday, L’Équipe noted that CCC – a Polish footwear retailer – is expanding its business into 20 European countries and is not put off by BMC's reported current operating budget of €25 million.
CCC has been a sponsor of Pro Continental team CCC-Sprandi since 2000, but according to L’Équipe, there has been no discussion of a fusion between the two teams. CCC-Sprandi received a wildcard invitation to the 2017 Giro d'Italia.
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Ochowicz reiterated that he would not comment on the rumours concerning a new backer - in May, for instance, it was reported that Deloitte would step in to sponsor the team - but he acknowledged that he had been keeping track of his riders' plans for 2019.
"We've been looking for a sponsor. I'm keeping track of what's going on with the guys, yeah. That's my job," Ochowicz said.
"Like I said, I'm not commenting on rumours. As far as riders, they've all got agents. I've got eight guys on the bus and I've got eight agents to deal with on a variety of different things that they do. Yeah, I talk to agents all the time."
