What a strange set of circumstances. Alberto Contador makes a statement to the press this morning, with Johann Bruyneel standing behind him, regarding allegations he was part of Operacion Puerto. And just a short while later comes news that Tailwind Sports is shutting down the Discovery Channel Cycling Team at the end of the season, because they have been unable to find a title sponsor for next year.
Yesterday, of course, T-Mobile elected to continue with their sponsorship of a team more plagued [edit: added for clarity] over the last few months [end edit] by doping allegations than the Discovery Team has been. The loss of Discovery as the title sponsor, while often played in the media as being related to doping, was, in fact, due to changes in management at the Discovery Channel. When a new CEO came on board, the old CEO’s pet projects got axed. Not only was the cycling sponsorship axed, but so were the Discovery Channel stores in various malls and other retail locations.
Given the rampant doping hysteria that’s engulfed cycling over the last few years, it’s no surprise that new sponsors might be a bit squeamish about getting involved. Perhaps all that hysteria scared away some potential sponsors for the Disco boys. Whatever the case, it’s a strange turn of events. The team that had two riders on the podium in Paris just 10 days ago can’t find a title sponsor. How weird is that?
From what I can see, this story is exploding all over the place. Whatever you think of Lance Armstrong, Johann Bruyneel and the rest of the US Postal/Disco teams, this is a big loss for the world of cycling. Bruyneel is, according to one report I saw, going to leave the sport completely.
While the team is dissolving for the moment, Lance Armstrong suggests that this may not be the end for Tailwind Sports, as far as a pro cycling team is concerned.
“I do not think you have seen the last of this organisation in the sport, but clearly things need to improve on many levels, with a more unified front, before you would see us venture back into cycling,” Armstrong added.
Let’s hope things do improve for the world of cycling, and that no more teams have to fold before things get better. Speculation has already started that Team Slipstream/Chipotle might try to acquire the ProTour license that will soon be up for grabs. If not, come next year, there may not be a US-based ProTour team contesting the Grand Tours. While some might shed no tears, to me it would be a shame.
With all the doping allegations being thrown at cyclists and cycling in general and the witch-hunts by anti-doping agencies that seem to be going on, it’s hard not to wonder if cycling is slowly self-destructing — or being destroyed by various groups hell-bent on acquiring power for themselves at the expense of everyone else. In the end, everyone who cares about cycling — and that includes Johann Bruyneel and the whole Discovery team, managers and staff — suffers.
Is that what you want? I know I don’t.
“T-Mobile elected to continue with their sponsorship of a team more plagued by doping allegations than the Discovery Team has been”
Not sure I’d agree with you. I think the thing with T-Mobile is that most of the dirty linen is in the public domain, and they *sound* like they’re trying to do something. Disco though … there’s too much to come out, and little sign of the team joining the likes of T-Mobile. And whenever the bad stuff does come out, it will be attached to the team’s title sponsor that season.
That said, if Lance Armstrong can’t attach a new sponsor before the start of the season I will be *really* surprised.
Re the LA quote. He calls for a unified front. Which front does he want us to unite on though? He’s not always united himself with those who’ve spoken out about the drug use in the sport, ha he? Maybe he wants us to unite behind omerta? Zipped lips was his gesture, wasn’t it?
fmk,
Perhaps there’s more dirty linen in the Disco closet than has been aired for Telekom/T-Mobile, as you suggest. T-Mobile is certainly trying to do something good, as far as anti-doping programs go. No doubt about that.
I don’t know whose decision it was to pull the plug on Disco (the team, not the music, I was never a big fan of disco, but that’s a whole other story…). I’m sure if they can find another sponsor, they’ll resurrect the team. But this looks like they’re going to release the riders to go find new homes for 2008. Even if they come up with a sponsor, will they have enough riders to race ProTour races?
I would hope Lance is calling on the whole cycling world to come together to work for the good of the sport. It’s a bit unclear, though, isn’t it?
– Rant
This is indeed a sad development. While we have known for some time that Discovery was ending its sponsorship, I had hoped another sponsor would be found. No doubt that the drug situation is at least partly to blame. Sponsoring a team take lots of money; a sponsor hopes to recoup that with increased business from the publicity the team brings. Unfortunately, the perception in these times is that all too often that publicity is negative.
I am sure that most of the riders will be able to land spots on other teams, but those who have support roles may find themselves in the cold.
So long, Disco, it was nice knowing you!
William, sponsoring a cycling team don’t need a lot of money for a company if you compare with other team sport. It’s less than one football or basket ball player!
What could cost a lot to the sponsor is only the bad publicity following doping cases. So new sponsors need great commitments from the management to avoid it. Just have a look at T-Mobile.
I think the current management has not be able to get enough confidence from their potential sponsors.
Jean:
It cost USPS $10,000,000 in 2003. That ain’t pocket change, even if it does cost more to run a football (of any variety) team or NBA team. But it still in a cost/benefit deal: if it cost more than it is potentially worth to a sponsor, the deal is off whether $10 or $10m is involved. If Contador was totally in the clear, things might be different. Maybe sponsors are worried there is dirty linen in the Disco closet waiting to get aired.
fmk:
I think perhaps LA is referring to the infighting between ASO, UCI, WADA, etc. I am beginning to suspect the all the A sample leaks may be coming from UCI and/or WADA and not from LNDD. LNDD cannot be involved in the Sinkowitz leak, and in theory the labs are not given access to the riders’ identities, but UCI/WASA certainly have that information. UCI is involved in a fight over control of the big tours, they might have some motive to attempt to discredit the TdF and ASO, using doping violations. If the TdF was to fold up, the perhaps UCI figures they could step in and set something up themselves equivalent.
Mr Schart –
I believe you are correct, UCI makes a play for control , or at least that it has the leverage to tell all the different pro-races when and where.
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ASO is the biggest among them, isn’t having any, they tell the UCI to go shove it.
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UCI knows that the LNDD is “weak” as labs go and is press wise closely associated in the publics opinion with ASO and French bike racing, begins to “leak” lab results to the media, creating “scandal” pressure on the ASO.
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Dickie Pound and WADA realize that the “game” is on – so they begin to play the whole thing from the typical “moral” issue that seems to be their favorite McCarthian weapon.
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Of all the groups, the pro riders have the weakest stance – no organizational (union body) to stand up for them, and one after another – they get fed to the public opinion meat grinder, creating the necessary “leverage” McQuickie needs.
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The media, like the blood sniffing dogs they are for the most part – go into a feeding frenzy – never looking a step deeper to know what the real story is, turn into the razor that carves everything into nice little pieces – never realizing they are working for the UCI all along.
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In a morbid way – one has to admire the Machiavellian mechanations of the whole lot. The bastards will most likely get away with it.
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WE may have one chance to get them – WADA and the UCI fight is not over. I don’t think that ASO will give up their cash cow either.
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All three will make mistakes – and if the “news services” get wise – things may just turn out a bit differently then these bastards hoped for. A small chance – but it is there.
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So – it is all about control, money and who gets to tell everybody what to do…the doping issue has turned every rider into nothing more then unconscious suicide bombs, being used by these bastards.
Rant, You’ve got some intelligent readers(I’m not including myself!) . I think the alphabet soup is the nail in the “coffin” of cycling. I’m the “glass half full” type of person. I keep remembering the interview with Bob Stapleton, that T-Mobile is more concerned about the infighting with the agencies, than individual riders getting caught. I think Lance/and Johan might have thought this was a good time to bow out. JV was courting the same sponsers as Johan, but he needs less money. Young team, with a strong sound business model. I wouldn’t be surprised if the new high profile riders signing with Slipstream are not doing it to make more money. Something else fresh about the Team attracts them. Of course, I got interested because of local boy, made Pro-cyclist, Brad Huff. And then became more intrigued by the way JV is running the team. I read that he wants it to be an American team, with american riders, in the larger numbers. Postal/Disco was once the same type of team, the Americans started their pro carreers there. Except Chris Horner, who stated that someone on that team didn’t care for him!!
Anyway, if it wasn’t for Slipstream, and to some degree, Rock Racing, I’d be more sad. But, I think there are closed closests, with Disco, and maybe this ends an era. But leaves room for a new era in cycling.
I wish M. Hiltzek would write a book on WADA and the research he’s done!!!
Theresa,
There are some pretty smart folks looking at this site. Pretty darn cool. Who knows whether Slipstream will make the jump to the ProTour next year. I can certainly picture it as a possibility. The post-Disco era will certainly be a different time for cycling.
Morgan,
Saw your comment yesterday about “nattering nabobs of negativism.” It’s not originally my quip. Spiro Agnew made the comment (probably written by a speechwriter, however) back in the early 1970s. I was never a fan of Agnew, but that quote stuck in my mind. Wish I could take credit. Use it in good health.
– Rant
Either way Rant – the way you applied it – just made my day. By the way – did you read the pocket rocket rant article in Velo? I have to admit to a secret liking for the little guy – I am certain that he is even more of a R Chandler fan then I. Agnew was not my fave either – but I stay away from politics – as a character once said: “A mans gotta know his limitations…” (:-))
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I read what has been written about what Armstrong said about Tailwind. I have never heard Armstrong “let down” the social mask as he appears to have in this interview. Refreshing – and people the world over still keep ignoring that the “issue” is not about doping at all…
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You may recall what I wrote to you about why I responded to your forum – it still holds true – some would love to put you into a level of “mere blogger” – but good journalists are hard to find – and my only way to respond is to respond to your efforts. Keep up the good work, don’t let the bums define you as to who you are – you have been doing real good and I for one may be counted on to throw in my two cents worth, even when some people seem to not be able to tell the difference between a “gadfly” from a sectarian.
Losing team Disco is very sad. Johann Bruyneel is simply brilliant and had put together a fantastic team. George Hincappe, is one of my favorite riders and has to be one of the most successful support riders in the history of the sport having guided and protected his designated rider to eight TDF victories. I hope next year he can find the same level of success at the TDF. I also hope he can avoid early season mishaps to win the one day classics he so dearly loves. Really, my team loyalties will go where big George goes.
Certainly I would like to believe that Armsrong is calling for unity between UCI / ASO / WADA. I haven’t read the full context of the quote yet. But taking the comment in the context of Armstrong’s previous comments on these areas – the zipped lips, the anti-WADA tirades – I’m not sure.
As for the Machiavellian politicking – you’re being far too generous to many of the players in this one. They’re good at stabbing one and other in the back, but not good at the level of scheming you’re imputing to them. Also, the media *is* being overlooked. Don’t forget, it was the *media* that brought down Rasmussen, no one else had a hand in that one. LNDD tends to leak to L’Equippe, which has a particular historical interest in the Tour. Other papers have an historical interest in making L’Equippe look bad and also have access to leaks. The whole system leaks like a sieve, and the leaks are coming from multiple sources, for multiple reasons.
The UCI has nothing to gain by discrediting ASO with drug allegations. Of all the organsiations, the UCI has, historically, the worst record on this area. For a start, just look at Pat MCQuaid’s own comments on the subject in the past. It’s only in the last year, as sponsors have finally put pressure on them and their finances have come under pressure, that they have seen the need to end the pretence of fighting drugs. Yes, the UCI has much to gain by discrediting ASO, in that they want ASO inside the lucrative ProTour. But using doping … I just don’t see that one working. It’s driving ASO into the arms of WADA – which the UCI has hated from the get-go. Even I don’t think Pat McQuaid is that stupid.
What is most likely to be happening with any leaks coming from within the UCI is the same as before – political in-fighting within the UCI. Different factions within the UCI are trying to bring each other down, and sod the collateral damage.
Yes, it’s all about money and control. But it’s also about personal politics. It would be worth looking at some of the personalities involved. Not just the organisations.
Morgan,
Actually, I haven’t seen the pocket rocket article in Velo, yet. I’ll look for it, though. Sounds interesting.
Ken,
I hope all the riders find new teams. It will be interesting to see who Hincapie and the rest will ride and work for next year. Bruyneel has been an excellent leader for US Postal/Discovery, the sport will be the lesser for his departure.
fmk,
I don’t know that we’ll ever get the full context of Armstrong’s remark. It appears to have come from a press release, which may have been intentionally vague. But look at the article in today’s New York Times. Perhaps that sheds some light on where he’s coming from. I think that UCI, besides bringing the ASO into the ProTour fold, wants to control things like TV rights and other money-making aspects of the whole kit ‘n’ kaboodle. It certainly is about money and power and control. Good point about individual motivations. At some point, it would definitely be good to delve into the warring personalities, too, because they’re a big (perhaps biggest) part of the current power struggles.
– Rant
Rant,
I agree about hoping all Disco riders find new teams, although I’m still hoping for an eleventh hour rescue. Does anyone have Bill Gates phone number? I’m sure his company has some spare cash laying around. Either that or Serge over at Google could surely afford to fund a team. I could see the color scheme for “Team Google” now. 🙂
Ken: Team Microsoft? No, they’d keep crashing.
Team Google? They’d refuse to follow the official route and come up with an alternate way of getting from the start to the finish.
Rant: well, the UCI does have form for internal faction fighting being done in public. IIRC, the L’Equipe Armstrong story, about the old test, was partly leaked through someone in the UCI, trying to damage Hein Verbruggen.
fmk and Ken,
I’m thinking Team Eveready: They keep going, and going, and going …
Or Team Guinness: They may not make it to the finish sober, but they’ll be bloody happy to be done.
Or perhaps Team FedEx: When you absolutely, positively have to make it to the start by 10 a.m. tomorrow.
Or maybe even Team Epogen: Hey, if you’re gonna dope, why not get the pure stuff?
😉
– Rant
Team Eveready would great although Team FedEx would be good to. If they were team Eveready, would they have to have pink rabbit ears painted on their helmets?
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My favorite Team Postal Service adds were the ones where Lance, George and crew were having to deliver the mail on their off season. They’d get done with their day and the postmaster said, “great job, see you tomorrow.” To which the team look surprised and collectively asked “tomorrow?”
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