Deutsche Telekom ends sponsorship - Page 3

thoughtforfood · #31 11-27.-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by whiteboytrash

Can Hincapie win the Tour !

Sure, and theoretically, pigs COULD fly out of my butt....in theory. ;-)

cyclingheroes · #32 11-27.-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhuskey

The media killed cycling in Germany. The teams,managers etc. gave them ammunition but the media fired the lethal bullet.
No surprise here!

Correct, most German media are not reporting about doping, they are campaigning...

Bro Deal · #33 11-27.-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by thoughtforfood

You know Bro, I am not so sure about that. Most of the races will still be held, and because of the shake-up, we should be able to expect some surprise winners. I think the cycling will be good in the initial part of the season. Unfortunately, it will only take one thing, like Betini finally getting busted, to wipe race sponsors away....then we will be screwed....on 2nd thought, maybe you are right.

I was referring to the sponsors that are scheduled to end the sponsorship. Gerolsteiner, Lampre, etc.

As you say, though, the racing may very well be good. I think the doping situation is getting better, and the decrease in the outrageous, in your face doping creates more opportunities for more riders. Things are getting better when Voekler can win a ProTour event.

Crankyfeet · #34 11-27.-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by thoughtforfood

Unfortunately, it will only take one thing, like Betini finally getting busted, to wipe race sponsors away....then we will be screwed.....

No..after Bettini goes down....it still won't be screwed.....But then Evans goes down....and....it still isn't screwed.....then paparazzi sell pictures of McQuaid and Anne Gripper nude sun-bathing together in Greece.....then its screwed

PS. Actually that last event might be the best thing that could ever happen to cycling on second thoughts.

whiteboytrash · #35 11-27.-2007

Team High Road ? So the team is staying together ? what a crap name..... so we got Slipstream and High Road competing against the might of astana.... thats night a fair fight...... Levi will win the Tour by 27 minutes ! I wonder what Jan thinks of all this.......
_____

Stapleton, the team's American manager, was brought on board earlier this season in a bid to rebuild the team from scratch, with emphasis on a zero tolerance anti-doping culture.

He will continue at the helm of Team High Road and said: "We hope to go forward independently with the team to achieve our goals of continued competitive success and being a leader in anti-doping efforts in professional cycling."

The Discovery team of Tour de France winner Alberto Contador disbanded in August after failing to find new sponsorship.

Cavendish and Wiggins both revealed recently that they would miss next year's Tour to concentrate on the 2008 Olympics but the news will still hit their preparations.

Wiggins and his former team Cofidis were thrown out of the Tour last year after one of the team, Italy's Cristian Moreni, failed a drugs test.

thunder · #36 11-27.-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bro Deal

I was referring to the sponsors that are scheduled to end the sponsorship. Gerolsteiner, Lampre, etc.

As you say, though, the racing may very well be good. I think the doping situation is getting better, and the decrease in the outrageous, in your face doping creates more opportunities for more riders. Things are getting better when Voekler can win a ProTour event.

Gerolsteiner
Lampre
FDJ
Cofidis
Credit Agricole
Quickstep
Davitamon/Predictor/Pharma

all contracts end this year.

earth_dweller · #37 11-27.-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by whiteboytrash

Team High Road ? So the team is staying together ? what a crap name..... so we got Slipstream and High Road competing against the might of astana.... thats night a fair fight...... Levi will win the Tour by 27 minutes ! I wonder what Jan thinks of all this.......
_____

Stapleton, the team's American manager, was brought on board earlier this season in a bid to rebuild the team from scratch, with emphasis on a zero tolerance anti-doping culture.

He will continue at the helm of Team High Road and said: "We hope to go forward independently with the team to achieve our goals of continued competitive success and being a leader in anti-doping efforts in professional cycling."

The Discovery team of Tour de France winner Alberto Contador disbanded in August after failing to find new sponsorship.

Cavendish and Wiggins both revealed recently that they would miss next year's Tour to concentrate on the 2008 Olympics but the news will still hit their preparations.

Wiggins and his former team Cofidis were thrown out of the Tour last year after one of the team, Italy's Cristian Moreni, failed a drugs test.

I wonder if that's the Stapleton & Vaughter's plan, to lose by so many minutes so that everyone - even the USPS/Disco/Astana fans - starts looking even harder at the other guys.

Bro Deal · #38 11-27.-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by earth_dweller

I wonder if that's the Stapleton & Vaughter's plan, to lose by so many minutes so that everyone - even the USPS/Disco/Astana fans - starts looking even harder at the other guys.

They should have hired teams of professional kvetchers. They could hold news conferances after every stage and describe their experience.

"I thought I had a chance to win. My heart rate was pegged, I was putting out 370 watts, and I thought I had about two minutes on the lead group. Suddenly Leipheimer and Contador cruised past me like they were on Ducatis. They weren't even breathing hard. I caught part of a conversation about what music they would play on the team bus. About a hundred meters ahead, Leipheimer pulled out of one of his cleats. He continued peddaling one legged and was still pulling away from me."

**limerickman** · #39 11-27.-2007

This is a serious issue on a commercial level : the biggest sponsor of the sport leaving is a serious issue.

For sure the machinations of what TMO were/were not doing, is relevant on one level.
But in commercial terms, the withdrawal of the biggest commercial team sponsor
is a very serious blow to the sport - in commerical terms.

Given that this news is even been covered in the mainstream media over here (the withdrawal bit........not the ongoing dope investigations), this withdrawal sends an adverse signal to other potential sponsors.

Moller · #40 11-27.-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by limerickman

This is a serious issue on a commercial level : the biggest sponsor of the sport leaving is a serious issue.

For sure the machinations of what TMO were/were not doing, is relevant on one level.
But in commercial terms, the withdrawal of the biggest commercial team sponsor
is a very serious blow to the sport - in commerical terms.

Given that this news is even been covered in the mainstream media over here (the withdrawal bit........not the ongoing dope investigations), this withdrawal sends an adverse signal to other potential sponsors.

According to Cycling Weekly t-mob would only continue of the team signed Zabel, but stapleton and the rest of the team didn't want him on the team.
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/...le_164147.html

Bro Deal · #41 11-27.-2007

Stapleton: "We have enough money to run the team for the next two years without finding a new main sponsor," he said. "We will continue to look for a new sponsor but we will take our time. It must be the right sponsor, one who is willing to make a long-term commitment to the sport and who will be good for the sport."

It looks like they made out like bandits.

**jhuskey** · #42 11-27.-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyclingheroes

Correct, most German media are not reporting about doping, they are campaigning...

I heard from one guy today that use to wear pink and he states that he is delighted that he got out when he did.

**limerickman** · #43 11-27.-2007

On a sidebar issue : it will be interesting to se if the Tour of Germany is affected.
After the Landis Tour de France in 2006, spectator number for the Tour of Germany actually increased compared to 2005.
I wonder will the average German supporter support his native Tour - given the
news of TMO's withdrawal?

Grater · #44 11-27.-2007

The fall out is going to be massive.

Negative approach towards doping but something that was going to happen eventually.

earth_dweller · #45 11-27.-2007

Wonder if this is enough to make the organisations start working together to pretend to clean things up at least, to make the sponsors happy - as opposed to this power play that is using doping as a weapon to clobber the other guy.

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