U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team

U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team
Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
Team information
UCI codeDSC
RegisteredUnited States
Founded1988 (1988)
Disbanded2007
Discipline(s)Road
StatusUCI ProTeam (2005–2007)
Key personnel
General managerBill Stapleton
Team manager(s)Johan Bruyneel
Team name history
1988–1989
1992–1994
1995
1996–2003
2004
2005–2007
Sunkyong (Amateur)
Subaru–Montgomery
Montgomery–Bell
U.S. Postal Service
U.S. Postal Service–Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team jersey
U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team jersey
Jersey

U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team was a United States–based professional road bicycle racing team. On June 15, 2004, the Discovery Channel signed a deal to become sponsor of the team for the 2004–2007 seasons and its name changed to Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team (UCI team code: DSC). From 2005 until 2007, the team was one of the 20 teams that competed in the new UCI ProTour. As part of the sponsorship deal, Lance Armstrong, the team's undisputed leader, provided on-air appearances for the Discovery Networks TV channels. The deal did not affect the rights of secondary sponsor OLN, later known as NBCSN 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, Texas. 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]

In October 2012 USADA released a report saying that the team had run "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme the sport has ever seen".[3] The report contained affidavits from eleven riders on the team including Frankie Andreu, Tyler Hamilton, George Hincapie, Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer, and others, describing their own usage of erythropoietin (EPO), blood transfusion, testosterone, and other banned practices during the Tour de France and other races. They also implicated seven-time Tour winner, Lance Armstrong.[4] On October 22, 2012, the UCI upheld the USADA's recommendation to strip Armstrong of all results since August 1, 1998, and ban him from cycling for life.[5] In February 2013, the US government joined Landis' False Claims Act lawsuit against Armstrong, alleging that Armstrong had defrauded the US Postal Service of sponsorship funds by violating cycling rules by using performance-enhancing drugs while riding for the team.[6]

  1. ^ George, Sue (2007-02-10). "Discovery Channel to end sponsorship". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2007-02-10.
  2. ^ "Armstrong's Former Team To Disband". forbes.com. 2007-08-10. Archived from the original on January 2, 2013. Retrieved 2009-01-08.
  3. ^ Matt Slater. "Lance Armstrong: Usada report reveals doping evidence". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2012-10-10.
  4. ^ U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team Investigation, USADA, 2012 October, retr 2012 10 14
  5. ^ "Lance Armstrong stripped of all seven Tour de France wins by UCI". bbc.co.uk. 2012-10-22. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
  6. ^ Ingram, David, "U.S. sues disgraced cyclist Armstrong for sponsor money", Reuters, 22 February 2013; retrieved 27 February 2013