Deutsche Telekom ends sponsorship

Frigo's Luggage

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.

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We are all made of stars.

jhuskey

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.

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Sobriety is over rated!

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

Fear not Astana are whiter than white....
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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

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)

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Crankyfeet

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

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cyclingheroes

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

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earth_dweller

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

so what's the connection between Bild & TMobile?

cyclingheroes

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?

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thunder

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

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.