Citing differences "with business strategies and the direction the team is headed," director Frankie Andreu has ended his contract with Rock Racing.
The former professional, with nine Tours de France on his résumé, assumed director's duties on the team owned by Rock & Republic fashion designer and CEO Michael Ball, at the beginning of 2007. Recently, however, Andreu said he'd become unhappy with the way that the program was being run. Andreu said he increasingly had concerns about the business model of the team and felt that he his authority as team director was gradually being undermined.
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For anyone watching the apparel business, Mr. Ball’s (Rock Racing) behavior in the world of cycling is mild, so far. In 2007 he was sued for sexual harassment, defamation, assault, extortion, breach of contract and other charges at Rock & Republic.
Papers filed in one case refer to Ball’s “criminal activities, acts of violence, court ordered psychiatric treatment, Ball’s own use of a false social security number (which he presented to police upon his arrest and sentencing), and evidence that at least three different social security numbers were used…two examples of are attached hereto as arrest and sentencing report and Solis v. Ford, L.A. Superior Court, Case No. BC 228258.”
Seems that all we know about Ball in the cycling world is what he said about himself in his R&R biography, “In the late ‘80s, Michael was considered one of the fastest, smartest and most aggressive cyclists on the circuit. The avid athlete had discovered he had the stamina to succeed at any task he took on. Michael won the LA Tri-Sprint Series and then went on to the national track rankings where he conquered the Velodrome. However, an unfortunate racing crash forced him to put his racing aspirations on hold.”
Guess he’s back.
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