Deutsche Telekom ends sponsorship

[Bro Deal]

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]

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]

On a sidebar issue : it will be interesting to se if the Tour of Germany is affected.
After the Landis TDF 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]

The fall out is going to be massive.

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

 

[earth_dweller]

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.

 

[Frigo's Luggage]

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

We can't blame the press. They just reported the truth. Its their job. Cycling is killing cycling. Its our problem and we have to deal with it.

 

[jhuskey]

We can't blame the press. They just reported the truth. Its their job. Cycling is killing cycling. Its our problem and we have to deal with it.

If I had a dog I needed to train I might use a collar as a training aid not a mace. They have beaten it to death, but I agree that the industry has not taken care of it's own dirty laundry.
A picture can be framed in many ways.

 

[earth_dweller]

so I wonder ....

does Astana mean 'low road' in any language?

did Stapleton plant the investigating TMobile story in Bild?

who initiated the divorce?

is Stapleton going to get rid of some of the 'old' TMobile crew?

 

[whiteboytrash]

so I wonder ....

does Astana mean 'low road' in any language?

did Stapleton plant the investigating TMobile story in Bild?

who initiated the divorce?

is Stapleton going to get rid of some of the 'old' TMobile crew?

Fear not Astana are whiter than white....
___________

Bruyneel is now hoping the Dane's battery of costly in-house doping controls will help Astana begin afresh in 2008.
"Zero tolerance is the minimum (requirement) and we want to go even further," said Bruyneel. "If we continue to tolerate actions like we have seen in the last few years we will only chase away sponsors from our sport."

Bruyneel added: "Dr. Damsgaard will have carte blanche while overseeing our riders during the 2008 season and we are requiring that he performs random independent in-house doping controls.

" ... it's the only way to prove to the world that we run a clean team and that clean cycling really exists."

The programme will include a scheduled 800 urine and blood analyses - many of which will be out of competition - during the season.

Urine samples will be tested for the banned blood booster EPO (erythropoietin) and blood samples will be tested for growth hormone and homologous blood transfusions testing.

According to the team, additionally each test will be analysed by a World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory, which would allow for a positive test to be later challenged by the relevant anti-doping authority.

"It's the best and most honest way of working," said Damsgaard. "Like the out-of-competition controls performed by the UCI (International Cycling Union), our surprise controls will have the same consequences for the riders. A positive test will be sanctioned."

In July Bruyneel was in charge of Discovery Channel as his Spanish team leader, Alberto Contador, claimed victory in the Tour de France.

Contador's stunning performances in the mountains came under much scrutiny, forcing the Spaniard - and Bruyneel - on the defensive at the end of July's race when French newspaper Le Monde claimed that Contador's name was linked to the Operation Puerto doping affair in Spain.

Contador has since joined Astana, where he has been joined by another former Discovery rider, American Levi Leipheimer.

 

[Cobblestones]

Breaking News:

The international hemp growers association has announced to take over sponsorship of a professional cycling team. The sponsor agreement would guarantee a 5 year commitment of $12 million dollars per year. The new team, according to unconfirmed rumors, has already signed Ivan Basso and Michael Rasmussen; the team's DS Manolo Saiz hinted also about contacts with former TdF winner Jan Ullrich. The name of the new team will be iDope.

 

[cyclingheroes]

On a sidebar issue : it will be interesting to se if the Tour of Germany is affected.
After the Landis TDF 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?

The Tour of Germany and the Hamburg Cyclassics were bought by a major stock holder of ASO (about 3 weeks ago). It will be interesting to see what Bild & co will do. Bild has a website to, its on T-online server... Telekom has interests in several German and international media.

By the way, TM also withdraws from several races (Tour of Austria and others)

 

[Crankyfeet]

The Tour of Germany and the Hamburg Cyclassics were bought by a major stock holder of ASO (about 3 weeks ago). It will be interesting to see what Bild & co will do. Bild has a website to, its on T-online server... Telekom has interests in several German and international media.

By the way, TM also withdraws from several races (Tour of Austria and others)

And whoever sold it to them perhaps asked TM to delay their announcement until after negotiations.

 

[cyclingheroes]

so I wonder ....

does Astana mean 'low road' in any language?

did Stapleton plant the investigating TMobile story in Bild?

who initiated the divorce?

is Stapleton going to get rid of some of the 'old' TMobile crew?

Different scenarios are possible... Would be to much speculation to answer your questions. I do have some wild ideas though...

 

[earth_dweller]

Different scenarios are possible... Would be to much speculation to answer your questions. I do have some wild ideas though...

come on now, share why don't you you?

so what's the connection between Bild & TMobile?

 

[cyclingheroes]

come on now, share why don't you you?

so what's the connection between Bild & TMobile?

The webadress of Bild is...

http://www.bild.t-online.de/

T-Mobile and T-Online are both divisions of Deutsche Telekom


But that's fact, I also have wild ideas... Its speculation time... Why does Bob continue?

 

[thunder]

On a sidebar issue : it will be interesting to se if the Tour of Germany is affected.
After the Landis TDF 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?

Lim 2005 was the first year of the NEW Deutschland Rund.

It's previous incarnation was something like 4 days of Dunkirk or that measure.

 

[earth_dweller]

The webadress of Bild is...

http://www.bild.t-online.de/

T-Mobile and T-Online are both divisions of Deutsche Telekom


But that's fact, I also have wild ideas... Its speculation time... Why does Bob continue?

So that's how Bild got the story. lol

megalomania? I don't know, why does Bob continue?

 

[Klodifan]

So major sponsorship has ended and next year, as noted, more sponsors may opt out. I really hate being cynical, but I still don't believe the sport will change for the better. Major heads need to roll, not petty cyclists. And that has not happened. The world is currupt and watching or even discussing professional cycling exaccerbates it for me. How unfortunate. I used to see cycling so differently. On to other things...

 

[itxaradia]

what's ASO is it he french association or a german one? are they the ownwer of Blid or the competence .. please spell it out so that we can make our own "informed" wild guesses

In any case, cycling seems once again to be a pawn in a large game of chess


some other time i will reply to an earlier message which accused spanish and italian riders of being unskilled and thick but right now, I will just appreciate some further information on the tmobile move.

 

[Crankyfeet]

So major sponsorship has ended and next year, as noted, more sponsors may opt out. I really hate being cynical, but I still don't believe the sport will change for the better. Major heads need to roll, not petty cyclists. And that has not happened. The world is currupt and watching or even discussing professional cycling exaccerbates it for me. How unfortunate. I used to see cycling so differently. On to other things...

You can stay here Klodi cause we talk about World Wrestling, the food channel, anatomical measurements, boxing, thanksgiving dinners, Christmas songs, or anything we can think of when we get down about cycling news. Its kind of like group therapy/grieving.