One more Shocking news from cycling arena.
Highly competitive and regarded as one of the best, only cycling team from United States "The Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team" has not been able to find a sponsor for the upcoming and they have decided to pack up for the time being.
This comes as a rude jolt to cycling world as Discovery Channel Team won this years prestigious but controversial Tour De France and also won the team prize.
With their latest Tour de France champion fending off doping accusations and new sponsors wary of signing on, owners of the Discovery Channel cycling team said Friday the squad will disband after this season.
The decision closes the Lance Armstrong era in cycling and shuts down the sport's only elite professional team based in the United States.
Discovery won this year's Tour de France behind Spaniard Alberto Contador but has struggled to find a new sponsor for 2008. Discovery announced in February it would not sponsor the team beyond this year.
"I do not think you have seen the last of this organization in the sport," Armstrong said in a prepared statement. "But clearly things need to improve on many levels, with a more unified front, before you would see us venture back into cycling."
Discovery will ride in this year's Tour of Spain and the Tour of Missouri, but the shutdown means Contador, Levi Leipheimer and the 25 other riders must find new teams for 2008.
Contador has been dogged by recent doping allegations and on Friday denied again taking performance-enhancing drugs and any involvement in the Operation Puerto investigation.
Shocker : Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team Disbands
