2008 Teams Feel Impact of 2007 Problems
The year did not start out well with the legal dispute over Unibet.com and the legality of advertising “foreign” gambling organisations in France. Even though Unibet rode with “?” on the jerseys and then under the Canyon brand they did not get a Tour place and the sponsor’s money was effectively wasted. Not a good start.

It was expected that Discovery Channel would end their sponsorship in 2007 but the failure of Tailwind Sports, the parent company of the team, to find a way to continue was a set-back. Tailwind’s general manager Bill Stapleton seemed to say that that he had potential sponsors but he had decided to end discussions. Certainly Lance Armstrong was quoted as saying “things need to improve on many levels.... before you would see us venture back into cycling”.

For T-Mobile to abruptly end its sponsorship means more problems - especially for riders like George Hincapie who signed up following the withdrawal of Tailwind Sports. Co-sponsor Adidas has said it will “fulfill its contractual obligations through 2008". But Audi has terminated straight away, leaving Giant as a key sponsor and bike provider. Deutsche Telekom had a contract with the team until 2010.

The fact that the UCI seem happy to issue a new Pro Tour licence seems to indicate that the team is well funded even without a main sponsor. One possibly reason being that T-Mobile may have paid to terminate early - and so are effectively paying not to have their name on the jerseys in 2008!

Before all this broke one of the riders was quoted as saying that a loss of T-Mobile sponsorship would affect all of pro cycling in Germany.

The 18 Pro Tour Licenses announced by the UCI on 4-Dec-07 were -

•     Quick Step (BEL)
•     Silence-Lotto (BEL)
•     CSC (DEN)
•     Caisse d’Epargne (ESP)
•     Euskaltel-Euskadi (ESP)
•     Saunier Duval (ESP)
•     Ag2r-La Mondiale (FRA)
•     Bouygues Télécom (FRA)
•     Cofidis, le Crédit par Téléphone (FRA)
•     Crédit Agricole (FRA)
•     Française des Jeux (FRA)
•     Gerolsteiner (GER)
•     High Road (ex-T-Mobile) (GER?)
•     Lampre (ITA)
•     Liquigas (ITA)
•     Milram (ITA)
•     Astana (LUX)
•     Rabobank (NED)

Unibet.com was declined through not applying by the deadline and T-Mobile’s registration transfer to High Road was awaiting further information on the new team structure. Lotto, the Belgian national lottery, continues its long-term team sponsorship deal. Sponsorship that has not had the same legal problems of advertising “foreign” gambling in France that caused Unibet to withdraw..

So no US teams for 2008 but Slipstream Sports manager Jonathan Vaughters hopes for a Tour de France wildcard invitation. And team owner Doug Ellis is aiming for a Pro Tour licence for 2009. Certainly they seem to be working to a plan that would make these targets achievable.

The new season rapidly approaches. And the first 2008 Pro Tour event is now theTour Down Under (22-27 Jan). All 18 teams listed above are expected to ride. By then it should be easier to determine the extent of the impact of 2007’s rider scandals and administration wrangles.

Update 6-Dec-2007 Cycling Weekly reports that T-Mobile have indeed paid a substantial amount to terminate their contract with High Road early. They also report that their withdrawal will have far reaching effects on cycling in Germany - quoting a source as saying cycling’s image in Germany is completely destroyed. The Deutschland Tour is apparently still scheduled to go ahead in 2008 but doubtful for 2009. Gerolsteiner team management are apparently struggling to find support even though the present sponsors did announce, in Sep-2007, backing to the end of 2008.

Update 7-Dec-2007 Green Cycle Associates AB, the company behind the 2007 Unibet.com team, has requested registration as a UCI Professional Continental Team

Update 20-Dec-2007 “UCI ProTour Council has amended its race regulations, at the request of the South Australian Government, to allow participation of the [Australian] national team in 2008. The rule relaxation will allow the national team of a race organiser's country to take part in UCI ProTour events, for the first time in the history of the series”

Update 16-Jan-2008 The Silence-Lotto web site has details of the 2008 riders, bikes, jerseys and rosters for the January events on the former Davitamon-Lotto URL. Astana don’t seem to have anything ready yet but Bouygues Telecom have their full calendar online and Team CSC are as well prepared as ever. The Team High Road web site is lacking any detail but Team Milram have a team shop and their 2008 calendar online.