Oscar Sevilla Stays with Rock Racing: New Spanish Armada?

Oscar Sevilla ended much speculation today with news that he will ride for Michael Ball's Rock Racing team for the next two years. Sevilla made it clear that he enjoys racing for the Rock team, and is looking forward to a heavier European schedule in 2009. He also hasn't ruled out an appearance at the Vuelta.

With Sevilla's decision to remain in the venom green colors of Rock, he completes the new "Spanish Armada" that has formed on the Rock team. In addition to Sevilla, both Francesco Mancebo and José Enrique Gutierrez are signed for 2009. Mancebo and Gutierrez, like Sevilla, were heavily implicated in Operacion Puerto, but only Gutierrez has served a suspension for his doping practices, in a seperate occurance for blood doping while racing for the Phonak cycling team.

Now that the 32 year old Sevilla is re-signed, the Rock team can begin to think about contending in more big time stage races. First up likely will be the 2009 Tour of California. Besides the three Spaniards, the Rock team will also be able to bring Santiago Botero, and reigning US pro champ Tyler Hamilton to the nine day stage race with an eye on the overall. Indeed, the Rock outfit will be one of the most powerful entered in this year's Tour of California, and will be in with a realistic chance at the overall win, especially considering that the final stage features a summit finish.

With the new Spanish signing there is sure to come much criticism from the cycling world, as Rock team owner Michael Ball has once again chosen to sign riders that are under suspicion (at least unofficially) of doping. His practices as a team owner have and will be called into question by many in the cycling realm, but no one can argue with the results. In just under three years, Ball has taken his team from a road side distraction to a heavy weight domestic contender on the American cycling scene. And if Sevilla has his way, Rock Racing will be just as well known on the international cycling stage this time next year.

The only possible problem for the Rock team is that they may have too many stage racers on the same team. Team chemistry could become an issue, especially if all of the new signings want to ride for themselves in 2009. If however the team can decide on only a few leaders, they should be one of the most formidable teams in the US and abroad next year. US pro criterium champion Rahsaan Bahati will hold the fort for flat finishes and criteriums, and "Fast Freddy" Rodriguez will also be around for bunch gallops.

Now, the next big item to discuss in relation to the Rock franchise must be the team kit design for next season. Will Michael Ball choose to go with the same design from 2008, or will he switch things up and come out with an entirely new line? In looking at the world of fashion, history tells us that new is good, and so we should expect the Rock brand to come with new and innovative designs for next year's racing. In fact, right now, Michael Ball is probably mulling the new feel of the 2009 Rock team, which promises to be even bigger, better, and badder than in 2008.