BMC manager Jim Ochowicz has told Cyclingnews that eh thinks this is the hardest time ever in the sport’s history in terms of getting sponsors in. Part of the blame goes to Lance Armstrong and the USADA Reasoned Decision from 2012.

“It’s never an easy sell. It never has been. It is [ed. a harder sell after 2012] because you have to answer the question. I was done in 1996 so I wasn’t pitching to anyone until 2010 at this level. A real pitch with a corporate board they can ask you any question that they want and there’s questions there that are difficultly answered.”

Ochowicz has vast experience in gaining sponsors for the team’s he has been on and says that throughout his career, he has never had a deal longer than two seasons, meaning that the pressure is always on his teams.

“I’ve been doing this with 7-Eleven, then Motorola and now with BMC. It’s never a situation where you’re sure about a long term commitment from anybody. You’re going from day-to-day, and year-to-year. I’ve never had a contract for more than two years with anyone, even with 7-Eleven when they were there for 10 years. The contract was never more than a year or two.

 Unfortunately that’s how we operate. Some people have been able to get three-year contracts but they’re rare. Therefore, you’re always on the hunt for partnerships. All the teams are in the same boat with that.”