Discovery / Tailwind to announce end of team today

Moose11

It's sad that the dismise have come to Discovery in this way but as someone said 'you live by the sword..' and all that. Saying that, there is no doubting they where the most talented and best team in the peloton in the Lance days lead by Lance. Sure they might have been doping but then so were everyone else back then. Is it possible that as well as not being able to secure a sponsor that the increasing spotlight on drugs and the willingness of even riders to tackle the problem that they have decided to get out? Still, doping aside, they achieved more than any team before them.

As for Contador, I dont understand the flack he was getting. I guess it comes with the yellow jersey these days and that says a lot for the sport, but there doesn't appear to have been any evidence to say he has doped. There is the Puerto thing but he said today he would be willing to do a DNA test... If he follows through with this he deserves a lot of credit. Someone mentioned why did he not answer journalists questions but I think he learned the lesson from Landis when he did that last year, he just made things worse. The media can manipulate what you say very well. It might be stupid of me to do so, but I'm willing to get behind the kid.

Finally on Slipstream. I think they'll be a breath of fresh air to the sport. I'm a fan of the Americans in cycling and I think they'll be good for it. They'll definately look to Discovery's dismise to pick up someone, maybe a guy like Danielson will be a good fit.

iainf72

espoir wrote:

So who goes where?

Hincapie - T-Mobile

Popo - Milram or Lampre

Contador - Saunier Duval

Devolder - CSC

Brajkovic - Rabobank

Danielson - Back to Oblivion

Why did you skip Levi, the guy who came 3'rd in the Tour this year? :P

He'll get a gig easily too - T-Mobile maybe? Hope not, but anyway.

grimpeur

Despite not having much love for Discovery Channel as a team this is pretty sad and disturbing news. Not only are many people losing their jobs but it indicates all is not well in cycling when the team that won the Tour de France cannot find a sponsor.

:?

wasp707

Bye bye Discovery. Thanks for nothing, now on yer bike.

Levi is past it. There is better potential in other Discovery talent to be had.

espoir

Forgot about Levi

Levi - Lotto. Could you imagine Evans and Leipy on the same team!

Vladimir 'the goose' Gusev - Tinkoff

Steve Cummings - Barloworld 8)

Ratkilla

Not sad to see them go,

According to Bruyneel, 'the sport is so bad that nobody wants to be involved with us...'
So, is that 'us' (Tailwind) or 'us ' cycling?

That was fron ceefax btw.

jerryf83

Potential sponsors' wariness of doping played a role in Disco's demise, but there were some business decisions too.

First, they were aiming for US$45 million spread over three years. A more modest goal (2 years; or go with 2 co-sponsors) would have opened up a lot more doors.

Perhaps more important: When knocking on doors of American companies and asking for large amonts of cash, it would be a big help to be showcasing American riders. (Likewise for any other country). Lance was extremely well known, charismatic, and had a compelling story that extended his fame beyond the cycling community. Levi - not so much, but he is at least an American who could contribute to a marketing campaign in ways that non-Anglophones can't. In retrospect, and all things being equal, Levi would have won the Tour if Contador had been working for him. The same thing happened in the Tour of Geogia this year - Levi was the pre-race captain and strongest rider in the race but ended up working for Brajkovic. From a racing perspective - both were the right calls. From a business perspective - both were the wrong calls.

Just a thought about the ugly reality of the business side of racing.

iainf72

Good summary here

http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/13074.0.html

Interesting that they'd cottoned onto the fact ASO talked about national teams.

Eurostar

I've never read such odious bullshit in all my life:

' this isn't about a lack of a sponsor' - LA

'we couldn't in good conscience ask someone to spend the sort of money that it would require to sponsor the team' - Bill Stapleton

Oh, I see. So somebody wanted to give you $45 million but your ethics wouldn't let you take it because you were worried they might not get a good return on their investment.

Such bonkers drivel. How did they have the cheek to come out with it?

iainf72

Eurostar wrote:

I've never read such odious bullshit in all my life:

Try read some of the things T-Mobile say then.

:P

iainf72

Yates on it.

http://www.seanyates.co.uk/diary/index.htm

iainf72

Pat "no, I'm being serious" McQuaid on the situation

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id= ... aug13news2

I bet he is bricking it.