Team Discovery to Cease Operations?

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Aushiker
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Team Discovery to Cease Operations?

Postby Aushiker » Sat Aug 11, 2007 3:32 pm

G'day

The ABC (radio) just reported on the news that Team Discovery cannot find a new sponsor and will cease operations at the end of the year.

See here also for more.

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Andrew

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Postby europa » Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:00 pm

Pretty sad really and I personally blame Flandis for this. Americans are only interested in something if they are dominating, something LeMond and Armstrong did for them. However, the backlash (and blind patriotism) against and for Landis is not only somewhat shocking to a non-yank, but I think you'll find it's behind the team's inability to find new sponsors. Personally, I think the US not having a pro based team is a disgraceful situation for them and I don't think you can lay the blame at the UCI or the European nature of pro racing. The world of pro cycling is a big enough playground for America to play in and regardless of their own circuits, I don't think they can take any pride in being unable to manage at least one team. This won't stop the top Americans joining the tour (didn't stop Greg did it), but it might just mean that we only see the top ones, and that'd be a real pity.

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Postby Aushiker » Sat Aug 11, 2007 8:59 pm

Richard there is still a possibility for a US team. From Cyclingnews.com
The dissolution of the Discovery Channel team leaves one ProTour license up for grabs, leading to speculation that Team Slipstream could be the next American ProTour team. Manager Jonathan Vaughters told Cyclingnews that he wasn't sure his team would be able to take on three Grand Tours. "The ProTour requires that teams race the Giro, the Tour and the Vuelta - and that's a huge undertaking," said Vaughters. His team has already signed ProTour riders David Zabriskie, David Millar, Christian Vande Velde, Magnus Backstedt, Julian Dean and Christophe Laurent.
.

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Andrew

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Postby europa » Sat Aug 11, 2007 9:07 pm

Good. I've heard so much whining from Americans, either 'they're all perfect and the Flandis thing is the evil French picking on us' or 'they're all cheats and trust no-one'. Very little middle ground. I can understand why sponsors are wary.

As I said, America needs at least one pro team. With the size of the place and the money there, more would be appropriate, but when you consider that the pro-tour is Europe based, I'm willing to forgive aberrations. But the yanks need one good team to follow. Bit hard with the cheats but I'm willing to believe that we will get a basically clean pro-tour. I'd like to imagine it'll happen soon.

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Postby senator52 » Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:51 pm

Its not just Landis' fault, Bruyneel's signing of Ivan Basso was also a move that bought scorn upon the team. Besides, Landis isnt even on Discovery, he just managed to only tarnish the entire face of US cycling, thats all....

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Postby tallywhacker » Mon Aug 13, 2007 2:58 am

it will just open a spot up for Team Slipstream

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Postby sogood » Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:18 am

Discovery gone, Astana not invited, welcome Slipstream. :D
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Postby Kalgrm » Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:38 am

How 'bout a "Bicycles.net.au" team? Since we're clean, we couold do a Bradbury and come from last place as they all fall to drug scandals .... :wink:
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Postby europa » Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:19 am

We'd have to keep Mike off the track though 8)

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Postby Kev365428 » Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:20 am

Kalgrm wrote:How 'bout a "Bicycles.net.au" team? Since we're clean, we couold do a Bradbury and come from last place as they all fall to drug scandals .... :wink:
Your assuming were all clean. I know for a fact that some of the people on here from time to time have indulged in copious amounts of red wine, beer, or spirits (or sometimes all three in the one night :shock: ).....at least I know I have :wink:


Kev.

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Postby senator52 » Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:27 am

Kev365428 wrote:Your assuming were all clean. I know for a fact that some of the people on here from time to time have indulged in copious amounts of red wine, beer, or spirits (or sometimes all three in the one night :shock: ).....at least I know I have :wink:


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And just ask Floyd what alcohol does to your testosterone levels... :roll:

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Postby moosterbounce » Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:47 pm

Faced with the list of substances the pros can't use, I wonder how many of us are really clean? I know we have some asthmatics here...are they below the legal salbutimol (or whatever it was) level? I take some prescription migraine medicine - not sure if that's ok...and I sometimes take anti-inflammatories - is "coles available" ibuprofen ok? :?

It would be an interesting experience...I would be interested to know if I was "clean"...god help my riding if I stopped taking these "performance inhancing substances"...I'd fall off :shock:

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Postby nimm » Tue Aug 14, 2007 12:37 pm

what about caffeine?
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Postby gsxrboy » Tue Aug 14, 2007 12:42 pm

Oh !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !!, what about green or red cordial and cupcakes !

Frack ! I knew they would come back and bite me one day.

I was unaware of this whole licensing deal, makes sense I guess. How much does a team license cost?

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Postby tallywhacker » Tue Aug 14, 2007 2:20 pm

nimm wrote:what about caffeine?
the WADA removed the restriction on caffeine back in 2003 (bet Alex Watson is pissed). Unusual because there was an article in Ride a couple of years ago where they did tests and found that caffeine was worth about a pool length in a 1500m swim and something like 10 minutes in a marathon.

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Postby stryker84 » Tue Aug 14, 2007 2:24 pm

nimm wrote:what about caffeine?
saw a lot of riders pulling Coke cans out of their food satchels in the TdF recently...

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Postby sogood » Tue Aug 14, 2007 2:57 pm

tallywhacker wrote:the WADA removed the restriction on caffeine back in 2003 ...
As in no upper ceiling? :shock:
Bianchi, Ridley, Tern, Montague and All things Apple :)
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Postby mikesbytes » Tue Aug 14, 2007 3:31 pm

sogood wrote:
tallywhacker wrote:the WADA removed the restriction on caffeine back in 2003 ...
As in no upper ceiling? :shock:
I think thats correct
If the R-1 rule is broken, what happens to N+1?

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Postby sogood » Tue Aug 14, 2007 3:39 pm

mikesbytes wrote:I think thats correct
Stocking up on Coke this weekend.... :D (just kidding)
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Postby Kalgrm » Tue Aug 14, 2007 3:48 pm

sogood wrote:
mikesbytes wrote:I think thats correct
Stocking up on Coke this weekend.... :D (just kidding)
The powder? ;)
Think outside the double triangle.
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Postby tallywhacker » Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:05 pm

sogood wrote:
mikesbytes wrote:I think thats correct
Stocking up on Coke this weekend.... :D (just kidding)
try a can of mother http://www.energyfiend.com/caffeine-content/mother

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Postby europa » Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:10 pm

tallywhacker wrote:
sogood wrote:
mikesbytes wrote:I think thats correct
Stocking up on Coke this weekend.... :D (just kidding)
try a can of mother http://www.energyfiend.com/caffeine-content/mother
That's horrible stuff. They were giving it away at a local servo and it was obvious why they were giving it away, it's dreadful :shock:

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Postby toolonglegs » Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:14 pm

2 nodoz do the the job...4 give me cramps..I don't drink coffee or tea so they leave me feeling a wee bit scatty...but with that winning feeling!!!

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Postby sogood » Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:18 pm

Kalgrm wrote:he powder? ;)
Actually, the real stuff... Coke
Bianchi, Ridley, Tern, Montague and All things Apple :)
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Postby mikesbytes » Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:22 pm

I think the sugar in the coke is probably more beneficial, but the caffeine plays it part.
If the R-1 rule is broken, what happens to N+1?

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