So Long Discovery Channel
2007-10-01 10:36AM PDT/Home
For the first time we now have three major stage races in the US: the Tour of Georgia, the Tour of California and now the Tour of Missouri. I had mixed emotions watching the coverage of the Tour of Missouri. A new major stage race is great for US cycling. But losing the only US based Pro Tour team negated my enthusiasm. It was Team Discovery Channel's last race together. It was also long time domestic powerhouse Team Navigator's last race. Ofoto turned Kodak was also ending their sponsorship after many years. Out with the old in with the new I suppose.
To add to my melancholy, the racing in the Tour of Missouri was uninspiring after a breakaway in an early stage containing George Hincapie and representatives from the other big teams was allowed to gain 17 minutes on the rest of the field. None of the others in the break could time trial as well as George, so it unfolded according to script with only some fun sprinting to keep me going.
Still, it's surprising to me that Bruyneel couldn't secure sponsorship for Discovery Channel after all that the team had accomplished. It was reported that Bruyneel was seeking a 45 million dollar sponsorship covering three years. I just don't get it, corporations in the US spend more than that on a single Superbowl ad.
But such is the state of US cycling. Some good, some bad, and some awful.