BMC has said the rumours they are seeking a new sponsor is nothing to do with the older rumours there team was due to fold.

French paper l’Equipe reported that BMC team owner Andy Rihs indicated to confidants that he would pull out of the title sponsorship of his American-registered team at the end of 2017. BMC would remain the bike sponsor only. This would cause the team to fold unless team management could find a new title sponsor.

General manager Jim Ochowicz denied the report Tuesday morning. “I’m pretty close to Andy, I haven’t heard that one. No,” he said.

Rihs has always been keen to keep BMC as a title sponsor at all times, but says a co-sponsor for the team was always welcome.

“For a bike company to hold that is not an easy thing to do forever. I’d agree with Andy, that the ultimate goal is to find a title sponsor and have BMC as a supplier sponsor like Specialized or someone else,” Ochowicz said.