BMC owners Andy Rihs and Jim Ochowicz have finally spoken about rumours that the team was looking to merge with Swiss WorldTour team IAM Cycling from 2017 onwards. These rumours came about after names like Samuel Sanchez and Richie Porte were only given one-year deals this year and leader Tejay van Garderen’s deal runs out next year too.

“Half of the stuff I read doesn’t even come close to the truth,” Ochowicz said at the USA Pro Challenge. “People are speculating. We’re not uncertain about anything. We’re planning, and building, the team, for the future. I’ve got riders, and staff, we’re thinking far ahead in our planning. My job is to plan ahead. The strategy within the team is going that direction. I can’t predict when it’s going to stop, but we’re full steam ahead right now… my head is already in 2017, 2018.”

At the USA Pro Challenge, Rihs confirmed that the team is looking for additional sponsors but that BMC will “always come first. It’s not a question of the team, it’s a question of sponsorship only,” Rihs said. “The team will probably continue as long as BMC exists, but we are looking for additional sponsors. But BMC will always be first. Then, if Apple wants to come on, okay, we’ll be BMC-Apple. We can live with that.”

Ochowicz reiterated that BMC will always play a role in the team, but that they may look for another title sponsor, but that that sponsor would need to match well with BMC, and that the Swiss bike company would always remain a title sponsor.

“We live on sponsorship dollars,” he said. “We don’t have a ticket gate to sell, and we don’t have TV rights to share. The only money we get is sponsorship dollars. So, of course we’re always looking for more money. I can’t predict whether BMC will always be the title sponsor, we may find someone that wants to take over the team — maybe, maybe not — but BMC will always be a bike partner, for sure.”