Add to the list of historic greats: the Discovery Channel (previously the US Postal) Cycling team is calling it quits. This article in the Statesman reports the team will disband at the end of the season. The nominal reason is a lack of sponsorship, although the team management kiboshed ongoing negotiations with a potential suitor.
After the last few years of that French race, I’d be surprised if any rider would want to be a part of it. Heat leaders generally earn suspicious resentment and losers merit mere derision. It’s an astonishingly torturous race, and its riders generally do nothing else throughout the year but prepare for it. To have press and fans turn victory into paranoia must really sap the joy out of it.
I can only image Lance’s relief this year: appearing only a couple of times along the course, riding a sedan rather than pushing pedals. Actually getting to enjoy the countryside… and still getting paid for it! This was probably the year for him to learn that all the grief he earned at the hands of the French press had more to do with being American than being excellent, and I suspect this may have played a major role in the decision to simply disband the team.
Tour leaders may not notice, but most of the mainstream American media focus on their race fell almost entirely on Team Discovery. Now that they’re gone, will Americans even know that the Tour is happening?
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