- Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
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Discovery Channel
Pro Cycling TeamTeam information UCI code DSC Based United States Founded 1988 Disbanded 2007 Status UCI ProTeam (2005–2007) Key personnel General manager Bill Stapleton Directeur sportif Johan Bruyneel Team name history 1988–1989
1992–1994
1995
1996–2003
2004
2005–2007Sunkyong (Amateur)
Subaru-Montgomery
Montgomery-Bell
U.S. Postal Service
U.S. Postal Service-Discovery Channel
Discovery ChannelDiscovery Channel Pro Cycling Team (UCI Team Code: DSC) was a United States-based professional road bicycle racing team. It was the continuation of the 2004 U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team. Lance Armstrong, seven-time Tour de France winner, was its leader (albeit only during the Tour) until July 2005. From 2005 until 2007, the team was one of the 20 teams that competed in the new UCI ProTour.
On June 15, 2004, the Discovery Channel signed a deal to become sponsor of the team for the 2004-2007 seasons. As part of the sponsorship deal, Armstrong provided on-air appearances for the Discovery Networks TV channels. The deal did not affect the rights of secondary sponsor OLN, now known as Versus in the US, to air major cycling events such as the Tour de France, although the two channels are competitors.
The team was directed by Belgian Johan Bruyneel, who also managed U.S. Postal. The chief mechanic was Julien DeVries. The team was co-owned by Tailwind Sports Corp. of San Francisco and Capital Sports & Entertainment of Austin, TX.
On February 10, 2007 Discovery Channel announced that it would not renew its sponsorship of the team at the end of the 2007 season.[1] On August 10, 2007 the cycling team announced that it would not search for a new sponsor, but cease operations and disband at the end of the 2007 season.[2]
Contents
Team rosters
The final season
On August 10, 2007, Tailwind Sports announced the end of the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team. Tailwind officials stopped their search for a new title sponsor for the Discovery team, citing the current tumultuous conditions within the sport of cycling. [3] Team operations continued until the end of the 2007 season.
After the 2007 season Johan Bruyneel went to rebuild the shamed and suspended Team Astana for the 2008 season. He brought with him much of Discovery's personnel, such as riders Alberto Contador, Levi Leipheimer, Yaroslav Popovych, Tomas Vaitkus, and coach Sean Yates.
The 2007 U.S. national road champion George Hincapie signed a contract for the 2008 season with Team High Road, now Team HTC-Columbia, run by the American Bob Stapleton.[4]
Final squad (2007)
As of April 30, 2007.[5]
Rider Date of birth Fumiyuki Beppu (JPN) April 10, 1983 Volodymyr Bileka (UKR) February 6, 1979 Janez Brajkovic (SLO) December 18, 1983 Alberto Contador (ESP) December 6, 1982 Antonio Cruz (USA) October 31, 1971 Steve Cummings (GBR) March 19, 1981 Tom Danielson (USA) March 13, 1978 Allan Davis (AUS) July 27, 1980 John Devine[6] (USA) (From July 2007) November 2, 1985 Stijn Devolder (BEL) August 29, 1979 Vladimir Gusev (RUS) July 4, 1982 George Hincapie (USA) June 29, 1973 Levi Leipheimer (USA) October 24, 1973 Fuyu Li (CHN) May 9, 1978 Rider Date of birth Trent Lowe (AUS) October 8, 1984 Egoi Martínez (ESP) May 15, 1978 Jason McCartney (USA) September 3, 1973 Gianni Meersman (BEL) December 5, 1985 Uroš Murn (SLO) February 9, 1975 Benjamín Noval (ESP) January 23, 1979 Pavel Padrnos (CZE) December 17, 1970 Sérgio Paulinho (POR) March 26, 1980 Yaroslav Popovych (UKR) January 4, 1980 José Luis Rubiera (ESP) January 27, 1973 Tomas Vaitkus (LTU) February 4, 1982 Jurgen Van Goolen (BEL) November 28, 1980 Brian Vandborg (DEN) December 4, 1981 Matt White (AUS) February 22, 1974 Former members of Discovery Channel
Name Nationality Years Lance Armstrong United States 2005 José Azevedo Portugal 2005–2006 Michael Barry Canada 2005–2006 Ivan Basso Italy 2007 Manuel Beltran Spain 2005–2006 Michael Creed United States 2005 Antonio Cruz United States 2005 Viatcheslav Ekimov Russia 2005–2006 Roger Hammond United Kingdom 2005–2006 Ryder Hesjedal Canada 2005 George Hincapie United States 2005–2007 Leif Hoste Belgium 2005–2006 Benoît Joachim Luxembourg 2005–2006 Jonathan Patrick McCarty United States 2005 Gennady Mikhaylov Russia 2005–2006 Hayden Roulston New Zealand 2005 Paolo Savoldelli Italy 2005–2006 Jurgen Van Den Broeck Belgium 2005–2006 Max Van Heeswijk Netherlands 2005–2006 Former members of U.S. Postal
Notable wins
2005 results
Date Race Location Winner 2005 Team Classification, Hervis Tour of Austria Austria Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 2005-02-27 Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne Belgium George Hincapie 2005-04 Overall, Tour of Georgia United States Tom Danielson 2005-05-19 Stage 11, Giro d'Italia Italy Paolo Savoldelli 2005-05-22 Overall, Volta a Catalunya Spain Yaroslav Popovych 2005-05-29 General Classification, Giro d'Italia Italy Paolo Savoldelli 2005-06-05 Prologue, Dauphiné Libéré France George Hincapie 2005-06-12 Points Classification, Dauphiné Libéré France Lance Armstrong 2005-06-12 Team Classification, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré France Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
2005-06-12 Stage 7, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré France George Hincapie 2005-07-05 Stage 4 (TTT) Speed record,[7] Tour de France France Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 2005-07-17 Stage 15, Tour de France France George Hincapie 2005-07-20 Stage 17, Tour de France France Paolo Savoldelli 2005-07-23 Stage 20, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2005-07-24 Best Young Rider Classification, Tour de France France Yaroslav Popovych 2005-07-24 General Classification, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2005-08-04 Stage 1, Eneco Tour of Benelux Netherlands Max van Heeswijk 2005-08-08 Stage 5 Eneco Tour of Benelux Belgium Max van Heeswijk 2005-08-28 GP Ouest-France France George Hincapie 2005-09-02 Stage 6, Vuelta a España Spain Max van Heeswijk 2006 results
Date Race Location Winner 2006 United Kingdom National Cyclo-Cross Championship United Kingdom Roger Hammond 2006-02-21 Stage 2, Tour of California United States George Hincapie 2006-02-26 Stage 5, Tour of California United States George Hincapie 2006-03-28 Stage 1, Three Days of De Panne Belgium Leif Hoste 2006-03-30 Stage 4, Three Days of De Panne Belgium Leif Hoste 2006-03-30 KOM, Three Days of De Panne Belgium Leif Hoste 2006-03-30 Overall, Three Days of De Panne Belgium Leif Hoste 2006-04-25 Prologue, Tour de Romandie France Paolo Savoldelli 2006-05-06 Prologue, Giro d'Italia Italy Paolo Savoldelli 2006-05-28 Combination Classification (Maglia Blu), Giro d'Italia Italy Paolo Savoldelli 2006-06-11 Japan National Time Trial Cycling Championship Japan Fumiyuki Beppu 2006-07-03 Maillot jaune After Stage 1, Tour de France France George Hincapie 2006-07-09 Overall, Tour of Austria Austria Tom Danielson 2006-07-14 Stage 12, Tour de France France Yaroslav Popovych 2006-07-23 Overall, Sachen Tour International Germany Vladimir Gusev 2006-08-01 Prologue, Deutschland Tour Germany Vladimir Gusev 2006-08-09 Best Young Rider, Deutschland Tour Germany Vladimir Gusev 2006-08-20 Stage 4 (ITT), Eneco Tour of Benelux Netherlands George Hincapie 2006-08-27 Belgium National Time Trial Cycling Championship Belgium Leif Hoste 2006-09-02 United States National Road Race Cycling Championship United States George Hincapie 2006-09-04 Stage 1, Tour de Pologne Poland Max van Heeswijk 2006-09-06 Stage 11, Vuelta a España Spain Egoi Martínez 2006-09-13 Stage 17, Vuelta a España Spain Tom Danielson 2006-09-17 King of the Mountains, Vuelta a España Spain Egoi Martínez 2006-09-17 Team Classification, Vuelta a España Spain Discovery Channel 2006 Japan National Road Race Cycling Championship Japan Fumiyuki Beppu 2007 results
Date Race Location Winner 2007-02-15 Metas Volantes, 2007 Vuelta a Mallorca Spain Tomas Vaitkus 2007-02-18 Prologue, 2007 Tour of California United States Levi Leipheimer 2007-02-23 Stage 5 (ITT), 2007 Tour of California United States Levi Leipheimer 2007-02-25 Overall, 2007 Tour of California United States Levi Leipheimer 2007-03-02 Stage 4, 2007 Vuelta a la Comunidad Valenciana Spain Alberto Contador 2007-03-15 Stage 4, 2007 Paris–Nice France Alberto Contador 2007-03-16 Stage 5, 2007 Paris–Nice France Yaroslav Popovych 2007-03-18 Stage 7, 2007 Paris–Nice France Alberto Contador 2007-03-18 Best Young Rider, 2007 Paris–Nice France Alberto Contador 2007-03-18 Overall, 2007 Paris–Nice France Alberto Contador 2007-03-29 Stage 4, 2007 Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León Spain Alberto Contador 2007-03-30 Spanish Rider Classification, 2007 Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León Spain Alberto Contador 2007-03-30 Combination Classification, 2007 Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León Spain Alberto Contador 2007-03-30 Overall, 2007 Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León Spain Alberto Contador 2007-04-05 Stage 4 (ITT), 2007 Three Days of De Panne Belgium Stijn Devolder 2007-04-18 Stage 3, 2007 Tour de Georgia United States Gianni Meersman 2007-04-19 Stage 4 (ITT), 2007 Tour de Georgia United States Levi Leipheimer 2007-04-20 Stage 5, 2007 Tour de Georgia United States Levi Leipheimer 2007-04-22 Team Classification, 2007 Tour de Georgia United States Discovery Channel 2007-04-22 Best Young Rider, 2007 Tour de Georgia United States Janez Brajkovic 2007-04-22 Overall, 2007 Tour de Georgia United States Janez Brajkovic 2007-05-23 Stage 3, 2007 Volta a Catalunya Spain Allan Davis 2007-06-01 Stage 3 (ITT), 2007 Tour of Belgium Belgium Vladimir Gusev 2007-06-03 Overall, 2007 Tour of Belgium Belgium Vladimir Gusev 2007-06-21 Stage 6, 2007 Tour de Suisse Switzerland Vladimir Gusev 2007-06-24 Mountains Classification, 2007 Tour de Suisse Switzerland Vladimir Gusev 2007-06-29 Russia National Time Trial Cycling Championship Russia Vladimir Gusev 2007-07-01 Belgium National Road Race Championships Belgium Stijn Devolder 2007-07-12 Stage 5, 2007 Tour of Austria Austria Gianni Meersman 2007-07-14 Stage 1, 2007 Tour of Qinghai Lake China Allan Davis 2007-07-14 Stage 7 (ITT), 2007 Tour of Austria Austria Stijn Devolder 2007-07-15 Overall, 2007 Tour of Austria Austria Stijn Devolder 2007-07-16 Stage 3, 2007 Tour of Qinghai Lake China Allan Davis 2007-07-18 Stage 5, 2007 Tour of Qinghai Lake China Allan Davis 2007-07-19 Stage 6, 2007 Tour of Qinghai Lake China Allan Davis 2007-07-21 Stage 8, 2007 Tour of Qinghai Lake China José Luis Rubiera 2007-07-22 Stage 9, 2007 Tour of Qinghai Lake China Allan Davis 2007-07-22 Points Classification, 2007 Tour of Qinghai Lake China Allan Davis 2007-07-22 Stage 14, 2007 Tour de France France Alberto Contador 2007-07-28 Stage 19 (ITT), 2007 Tour de France France Levi Leipheimer 2007-07-29 Team Classification, 2007 Tour de France France Discovery Channel 2007-07-29 Best Young Rider, 2007 Tour de France France Alberto Contador 2007-07-29 Overall, 2007 Tour de France France Alberto Contador 2007-08-13 Stage 2, 2007 Tour de l'Ain France Brian Vandborg 2007-09-02 United States National Road Race Cycling Championship United States Levi Leipheimer 2007-09-12 Stage 2, 2007 Tour of Missouri United States George Hincapie 2007-09-13 Stage 3, 2007 Tour of Missouri United States Levi Leipheimer 2007-09-15 Stage 14, 2007 Vuelta a España Spain Jason McCartney 2007-09-16 Overall, 2007 Tour of Missouri United States George Hincapie U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team history and notable wins
The US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team and later named the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team presented by Berry Floor operated from 1996 through 2004, and during its time fielded one of the biggest names in modern cycling: Lance Armstrong.
The United States Postal Service was the title (primary) sponsor from 1996 through 2004 and the team was nicknamed the "Blue Train". Berry Floor, a Belgian flooring company, was the secondary sponsor, also known as a Presenting Sponsor. Domestically the USPS Pro Cycling Team was presented by Alloc, the American subsidiary of Berry Floor.
Armstrong won six Tours de France (1999–2004) with US Postal, and in 2003 Roberto Heras—at that time a US Postal rider—won the Vuelta a España. Armstrong went on to win a seventh Tour de France in 2005, after the USPS contract and sponsorship ended.
The US Postal Service announced that they would cease sponsorship at the end of the 2004 racing season when their eight-year contract expired. They had previously been under fire for the expenditure from organizations such as Postal Watch, a website critical of the United States Postal Service. Legitimate problems of mismanagement and sloppy accounting were pointed out by the Postal Service itself, via the USPS Office of the Inspector General. Before the expiration of the USPS contract, Armstrong insisted that he would only continue to ride with the USPS team structure. This demand was met on June 15, 2004 when Discovery Networks stepped in and agreed to sponsor the team for the next three years as the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team.
1996 results
With the help of Thomas Weisel and Eddie Borysewicz, the United States Postal Service begins its reign as title sponsor to what has become the most successful cycling team from the United States. Borysewicz served as the team's directeur sportif and the team raced mainly in domestic events in the United States.
Date Race Location Winner 1996 USPRO National Road Race Championships United States Eddy Gragus 1996 Stage Tour of China United States Eddy Gragus 1997 results
Thomas Weisel brought in Mark Gorski, the 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist in the Men's 1000 m Sprint (Scratch) event, as team manager. Due in large part to Russian Viatcheslav Ekimov and his key stage wins at Paris–Nice and the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, the USPS squad got its first invitation to ride in the Tour de France.
Date Race Location Winner 1997 Stage, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré France Viatcheslav Ekimov 1997 Stage, Paris–Nice France Viatcheslav Ekimov 1997 Stage, Redlands Classic United States Eddy Gragus 1997 Russia National Road Race Championship Russia Viatcheslav Ekimov 1997 Stage, Setmana Catalana Spain George Hincapie 1998 results
Lance Armstrong joined the US Postal team in late 1998, when returning to professional cycling following his cancer treatments.
Date Race Location Winner 1998 USPRO National Road Race Championships United States George Hincapie 1998 Overall, Tour de Luxembourg Luxembourg Lance Armstrong 1998 Stage, Tour de Luxembourg Luxembourg Lance Armstrong 1998 Overall, Rheinland Pfalz Germany Lance Armstrong 1998 Killington (Vermont) Stage Race United States George Hincapie 1998 First Union Invitational (Lancaster, Pa.) United States Frankie Andreu 1999 results
Date Race Location Winner 1999-06-03 Prologue (ITT), Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 1999-07-11 Stage 8 (ITT), Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 1999-07-13 Stage 9, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 1999-07-24 Stage 19 (ITT), Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 1999-07-25 Overall, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 1999 USPRO National Road Race Championships United States Marty Jemison 1999 Stage, Circuit de la Sarthe France Lance Armstrong 1999 Stage, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré France Lance Armstrong 1999 Stage, Route du Sud France Lance Armstrong 1999 First Union Classic (Trenton, NJ) United States George Hincapie 1999 Redlands Classic (Redlands, CA) United States Christian Vandevelde 1999 Best Young Rider Classification, Four Days of Dunkirk France Christian Vandevelde 2000 results
Date Race Location Winner 2000-07-21 Stage 19 (ITT), Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2000-07-23 Overall, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2000 GP Eddy Merckx France Lance Armstrong and Viatcheslav Ekimov 2001 results
In 2001, the U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team was named the USOC Team of the Year. Also, Armstrong was named USOC SportsMan of the Year, which he also won in 1999.
Date Race Location Winner 2001-04-11 Gent–Wevelgem Belgium George Hincapie 2001-07-17 Stage 10, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2001-07-18 Stage 11 (ITT), Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2001-07-01 Stage 13, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2001-07-27 Stage 18 (ITT), Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2001-07-28 Overall, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2001-09 San Francisco Grand Prix United States George Hincapie 2002 results
Date Race Location Winner 2002-06 USPRO National Road Race Championships United States Chann McRae 2002-07-06 Prologue (ITT), Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2002-07-18 Stage 11, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2002-07-18 Overall, Vuelta a Murcia Spain Víctor Hugo Peña 2002-07-19 Stage 12, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2002-07-27 Stage 19 (ITT), Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2002-07-28 Overall, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2003 results
Date Race Location Winner 2003-07-09 Stage 4 (TTT), Tour de France France U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team 2003-07-21 Stage 15, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2003-07-27 Overall, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2003-09-27 Stage 20, Vuelta a España Spain Roberto Heras 2003-09-28 Overall, Vuelta a España Spain Roberto Heras 2004 results
Date Race Location Winner 2004-04-01 Overall, Three Days of De Panne Belgium George Hincapie 2004-04-22 Stage 3, Tour de Georgia United States Lance Armstrong 2004-04-23 Stage 4, Tour de Georgia United States Lance Armstrong 2004-04-24 Overall, Tour de Georgia United States Lance Armstrong 2004-07-07 Stage 4 (TTT), Tour de France France U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team 2004-07-17 Stage 13, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2004-07-20 Stage 15, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2004-07-21 Stage 16 (ITT), Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2004-07-22 Stage 17, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2004-07-24 Stage 19 (ITT), Tour de France France Lance Armstrong 2004-07-25 Overall, Tour de France France Lance Armstrong Early history and notable wins
1988-1989 – Sunkyong (Amateur)
Eddie Borysewicz, known as "Eddy B", began an amateur squad sponsored by Sunkyong, a South Korea-based manufacturing and industrial conglomerate. At the 1984 Summer Olympics, Borysewicz served as the U.S. Olympic Cycling Coach and led American cyclists to an unprecedented nine Olympic medals.
1992-1994 – Subaru-Montgomery
Subaru and Montgomery Securities, led by Thomas Weisel, serve as co-title sponsors.
Date Race Location Winner 1990 Tour de Gastown Canada Jonas Carney 1991 Stage 2, Redlands Classic United States Jim Copeland 1991 Tour de Gastown Canada Lance Armstrong 1991 Stage 6, Redlands Classic United States Krzysztof Wiatr 1992 Herald Sun Tour Australia Bart Bowen 1992 USPRO National Road Race Championships United States Bart Bowen 1993 Stage 1, Redlands Classic United States Miguel Arroyo 1995 – Montgomery-Bell
Montgomery Securities Chief Executive Thomas W. Weisel, an avid cyclist, continued his support for cycling.
Date Race Location Winner 1995 Stage 8, Tour Du Pont United States Clark Sheehan 1995 Stage 4, Tour de Pologne Poland Eddy Gragus Sponsors
The following companies and organizations served as sponsors for the 2007 squad:[8]
- Discovery Channel
- AMD
- 24 Hour Fitness
- Trek
- Nike, Inc.
- Thomas Weisel Partners
- Škoda Auto
- Mio Technology Europe
- Bissell
- Bontrager
- Shimano
- Giro
- PowerBar
- Carmichael Training Systems
- 1st Endurance
- Tacx
- Hutchinson
- FRS Antioxidant Energy
- eSoles
- Park Tool USA
- Sci Con
- Sapim Race Spokes
- SRM
- Maximize
Life Imitating Art
The name "Team Discovery Channel" was originally conceived by the writers of the The Simpsons for the episode Lemon of Troy. When Bart, Milhouse, Nelson, Martin, Todd, and Database split into teams to find where the residents of Shelbyville have hidden Springfield's lemon tree, Martin suggests that his team be named "Team Discovery Channel".
References
- ^ George, Sue (2007-02-10). "Discovery Channel to end sponsorship". Cyclingnews.com. http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/feb07/feb10news. Retrieved 2007-02-10.
- ^ "Armstrong's Former Team To Disband". forbes.com. 2007-08-10. http://www.forbes.com/sport/2007/08/10/armstrong-cycling-discovery-lifestyle-sports-cx_pm_0810tour.html. Retrieved 2009-01-08.
- ^ Weislo, Laura. "Discovery disbands: Tailwind Sports confirms team's end". CyclingNews. http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/aug07/aug10news3.
- ^ "Discovery gives up sponsor hunt". VeloNews. 2007-08-10. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. http://web.archive.org/web/20070929083505/http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/13071.0.html. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
- ^ "Team Discovery Channel Challenge 2007 – THE RIDERS". http://thepaceline.com/challenge/team.aspx. Retrieved 2007-02-13.
- ^ "Discovery Channel finalises '07 roster". Cyclingnews.com. 2007-01-16. http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/jan07/jan16news. Retrieved 2007-02-13.
- ^ "Le Tour en chiffres Les autres records" (in French). LeTour.fr. http://www.letour.fr/2009/TDF/COURSE/docs/histo_09.pdf.
- ^ "ThePaceline.com - Sponsors". http://www.thepaceline.com/sponsors.aspx.
External links
- Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
- Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
- The Official Fan Club of Lance Armstrong and the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
- Discovery Channel team page at Cyclingpost
- U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team
Categories:- Sports clubs established in 1988
- Sports clubs disestablished in 2007
- Cycling teams based in the United States
- Discovery Channel
- Defunct cycling teams
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