Bye bye Phonak

[aphextwin]

So that's it then... the management and sponsors of Phonak have finally had enough and pulled the plug on the team.

You can't blame them, and with the news that Skoda is probably going to withdraw its sponsorship and fine motors from the Tour, things are not looking good on the cashflow front for pro cycling.

Is the withdrawal of sponsorship a good thing, or bad? I can't make my mind up. Maybe it's the kick up the jacksie that cycling needs - what do you reckon?

[Smokin_Joe]

So many of their own riders have tested positive over the last few years that one could be cynical and say the drug problem will lessen without Phonak in the peleton.

[aphextwin]

You're right - Phonak riders just couldn't seem to help themselves as one after another was caught.

With a big team like Phonak folding right after Liberty Seguros, that has to send a message out to the other teams and riders that that is what'll happen to them if they don't weed (sorry about the pun) out the dopers and dodgy team quacks.

[campagchris]

I Think its just the tip of the iceberg,and more teams may follow suit.Its the mechanics and backroom staff I feel sorry for.Lets hope something positive(aaagh did I say that)comes from it and cycling finally becomes a clean sport


I wont hold my breath though

[Birilo]

I fear the hypocrisy is terminal. The sponsors want the 6 hour solo mountain wins - but not to have the means of their achievement made public.

I feel the same way about athletics - but you don't need to close roads or have so much money to keep this sport going. Road cycling cannot take another year like this one.

It is no use saying that cycling is singled out, or laughably that it is doing more than any other sport: without the end of institutionalised, systematic doping no one has any idea what they are watching, or who the winner will be once the tests are done. The winners of the last 3 grand tours are now likely to have those 'victories' annulled. Who would want to pay to have their name on the winner's jersey until they were sure?

Incidentally - do women cyclists cheat as well?

London 2007 anyone?

[aphextwin]

Birilo - your post just about sums it up.

Yes, women riders do dope as well, though I can't think of a single one who has tested positive. As we all know, this isn't a gauge of cleanliness tho'.

Despite all of this crap, I am still looking forward to the Tour coming to Britain in 2007. Hell, I'm even looking forward to the Tour of Britain in a couple of weeks time.

[Roland808]

Good riddance to bad rubbish

[thatwomanagain]

They should have been banned years ago for wearing those bilious yellow and green outfits.