A case of mistaken identities in cycling.
Ben and Andy Jacques-Maynes are twin brothers on the Bissell Pro Cycling team. With budget cutbacks forcing hard choices, the domestic squad decided they could only afford one brother. They told Andy he wouldn’t be offered a new contract and now he’s hooked up with Kenda/5-Hour Energy for next season.
That’s where the oops comes in.
Bissell meant to keep Andy and cut Ben instead. “They look exactly alike so we basically got mixed up,” said a Bissell spokesman too embarrassed to go on record. “They thought they were talking to Ben when in fact it was Andy that got the bad news. Big mistake on our part.”
While close friends can easily tell the two apart, it’s not so easy for Bissell even after two years. Team Director Omer Kem was at a loss for words when he learned they’ve cut the wrong rider. “It’s bad, really bad — but you know, those guys have been fooling me forever. Just a silly, unfortunate screw-up.”
Both brothers were confused by the bizarre turn of events. “Ben was pretty bummed, for sure. It was up in the air whether he would be able to get back on Bissell either,” said Andy. “We were trying to work it out so that we could get on the same team together. We were both bummed because we really enjoyed racing with each other.”
On the other hand, Kenda/5-Hour Energy is thrilled to have Andy Jacques-Maynes. “We really wanted Andy, not Ben — and we checked very carefully because we could barely tell them apart,” said DS Frankie Andreu. “It was a hassle but we spent the extra money and did the DNA testing and the fingerprints. So yeah it’s him, not Ben. Always best to be sure.”
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