posted Nov 27, 2007

I understand why they did it, and I hope that as many of the T-Mob guys as possible get to stay in this Team High Road but (and I realise all you cynics will probably find this amusing) as someone who has been a T-Mobile girl for over 10 years and who has stuck with the team through all the crap we've had over that period I'm just feeling incredibly sad right now.

It's the end of an era and perhaps that's a good thing because it hasn't been a great time but there have been some incredible moments and riders and races and it's going to be very weird not having the boys in magenta around next year.

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posted Nov 27, 2007

aveladze7 - your views on DSC are well known to me, and i for one suggest you look a bit deeper into what actually went on re. JB's departure from that team to where we are now. Just because JB said that about other sponsors, don't mean it is so!

T-Rex - i agree - i think it is all sports that need to work towards removing scepticism. Just look at how Barry Bond's record is viewed now as he inches it further into the distance - people clearly want integrity over HR's. You are right though with the strides that are being taken within cycling to put itself in the forefront of testing - other sports must follow, but there are huge vested commercial interests in ensuring that it remains only cycling copping the bad press. I'd love to see a hard nosed american journalist stick his nose into Operacion Puerto - don't suppose you know anyone that fits that bill, as it would seem the European media are all too shy in that respect.

MorganM - i'm sorry for your plight. I don't know how close your role gets you to the team, but i read in your words your belief that you felt it was coming to an end regardless and could even be for the best. It's easy for me to say, but maybe this is all part of the purge that our beloved sport needs - which for me would also see Astana sidelined next year (sorry a7 ) even though that is relatively unlikely.

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posted Nov 27, 2007

It is sad that Telekom's reason for pulling the plug on the sponsorship have been reported as solely due to doping scandals.

Obviously, the mood towards doping in Germany is a contributing factor. This is particularly relevant in the Sinkewitz case when the German broadcaster of the Tour went home. In addition, the exasperation in Germany after the Valverde etc carry on before the Worlds made tired minds even more tired.

However, cycling is extremely popular in Germany and when Telekom started their sponsorship they were aiming for a domestic market. Olaf Ludwig was a national hero and the Deutsche Telekom brand grew domestically. Now the telecommunications industry is a global market, cycling is not as popular around the world as it is in Germany. The developing markets in the Asian Pacific and Indian sub-continent prefer football, motorsport and cricket. The only Asian rider I can think of vaguely is the Japanese rider Bopu(?), who was at Discovery.

Other sports offer a better chance of publicity (look at the Vodafone campaigns) and doping is a convenient excuse. I just don't know who signed the sponsorship deal until 31 December 2010.

It's a shame because the likes of Boesson Hagen, Ciolek, Gerdemann and Cavendish have real star quality, and I'd also love to see Mick Rogers have a great Tour. Lets hope Stapleton keeps the squad together.

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posted Nov 28, 2007

If Team High Road get anywhere its an injustice

they have a record as clean as Marion Jones

but it seems clear people dont accept that it is T-Mobile who have done it to themselves (under the Telekom flag)

the rider confessions, may have been good for their souls but its destroyed TMOB, Gerolsteiner, Cred Ag, DSC, and probably more, as sponsors dont trust the teams to be clean

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also, i dont think Bruneyl would lie to DSC fans

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the pro-tour is terminally ill

as is cycling

if anything cycling needs to be like F1, where teams are bought and sold between companies

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this would allow

Vodafone, RBS, Microsoft etc to pay up $7-12mil to own the teams which they could then make sure the sport is cleaned up,

as the 'privateer' manner of cycling means drugs will be used to get more prize money = greater profits = a circle of doping

where if everyone is on the same $10,000,000 budget nobody can have a real advantage

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posted Nov 28, 2007

harrumph .. I go on holiday for 2 days and this happens
Well omgidbi, I guess I'll have to try for some team kit / bikes after all ....

Real shame.
Maybe the morons who dope / push drugs in the sport will realise that after the 2 biggest teams have folded they are killing their own sport ?

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posted Nov 28, 2007

A lot of your last post i can agree with especially the economics at the bottom and your view of the Pro Tour. You can guess at the ones i don't though (JB. "I'm retiring", then "I'm joining Astana" - wouldn't lie to DSC fans??!! - come on!)

the truth with respect to sponsors though is that in cycling the turnover has been pretty low when compared to other sports. it's just the type of sponsor attracted is normally not of the global calibre of say a vodafone. I still argue that making the riders accountable financially (not as per the stupid UCI charter) is the way forward - i have posted the mechanics of such remunaration schemes previously on this forum. I contend that if the world saw the action being driven from within to purge the sport of drugs, the big money sponsorship will follow.

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posted Nov 28, 2007

Sponsors come and go. Although my daughter always wanted the ones in pink to win.

There is light at the end of the tunnel as regards cycling and doping. We have had a tough time, however other sports are just entering the tunnel, and their tunnels look very dark indeed.

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posted Nov 28, 2007

You cannot blame a sponsor not wanting to be associated with drug use. It will be a while for the sport to clean up its act and regain public support. Until then sponsors and fans will not be drawn to cycling.

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posted Nov 28, 2007

I find it rather disappointing that other sponsors in, formerly, T-Mobile are following suit. I'm surprised at Adidas' withdrawal considering it was only a couple of years ago they started pushing for a larger piece of the cycling market. I might have to give up my Adidas bib shorts in protest, they did look rather silly anyway. Now there are rumours Giant and Audi are considering their relationship. Audi I can understand, but Giant? Surely a bicycle manufacturer cannot possibly want to leave one of the largest teams, with some of the best talent?

It's a sad day, but the early breaking of the contract by T-Mobile will probably mean the team can carry on for at least another year.

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