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 (). 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. 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.
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". 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.U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team Investigation, USADA, 2012 October, retr 2012 10 14 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. 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.Ingram, David, "U.S. sues disgraced cyclist Armstrong for sponsor money", Reuters, 22 February 2013; retrieved 27 February 2013
Team rosters
Final season On August 10, 2007, Tailwind Sports announced the end of the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team. Tailwind officials stopped their search for a new title sponsor for the Discovery team, citing the current tumultuous conditions within the sport of cycling. Team operations continued until the end of the 2007 season.
After the 2007 season Johan Bruyneel went to rebuild Team Astana for the 2008 season. He brought with him much of Discovery's personnel, such as riders Alberto Contador, Levi Leipheimer, Yaroslav Popovych, Tomas Vaitkus, and coach Sean Yates.
The 2007 U.S. national road champion George Hincapie signed a contract for the 2008 season Team High Road, later known as Team HTC–Columbia, run by the American Bob Stapleton.
Final squad (2007) As of April 30, 2007. Ages are from August 10, 2007.
Former members of Discovery Channel NameNationalityYearsLance Armstrong2005José Azevedo2005–2006Michael Barry2005–2006Ivan Basso2007Manuel Beltrán2005–2006Michael Creed2005Antonio Cruz2005Viatcheslav Ekimov2005–2006Roger Hammond2005–2006Ryder Hesjedal2005George Hincapie2005–2007Leif Hoste2005–2006Benoît Joachim2005–2006Jonathan Patrick McCarty2005Gennady Mikhaylov2005–2006Hayden Roulston2005Paolo Savoldelli2005–2006Jurgen Van den Broeck2005–2006Max van Heeswijk2005–2006
Former members of U.S. Postal
NameNationalityYearsLance Armstrong1998–2004Benoît Joachim1999–2004Frankie Andreu1998–2000José Azevedo2004Dariusz Baranowski1998Michael Barry2002–2004Tom Boonen2000–2002Jamie Burrow2000Dylan Casey1999–2002David Clinger2002Michael Creed2004Antonio Cruz2001–2004Julian Dean1999–2000Pascal Deramé1998–1999Viatcheslav Ekimov1997–1998, 2000–2004David George1999–2000Chad Gerlach1996Eddy Gragus1995–1997Tyler Hamilton1996–2000Andrew Hampsten1996Roberto Heras2001–2003Ryder Hesjedal2004George Hincapie1997–2004Frank Høj1999Marty Jemison1998–1999Patrick Jonker2000Steffen Kjærgaard2000–2003Damon Kluck2003Kenny Labbé2000–2004Floyd Landis2002–2004Juan Llaneras Rosello1998Levi Leipheimer2000–2001Kevin Livingston1999–2000Glenn Magnusson1999Chann McRae2002Peter Meinert-Nielsen1998–1999Gianpaolo Mondini2002Kirk O'Bee2000Víctor Hugo Peña2001–2004Daniel Rincón2004Jean-Cyril Robin1997–1998Sven Teutenberg1998Christian Vande Velde1998–2003Jonathan Vaughters1998–1999Cédric Vasseur2000Stive Vermaut2000Robbie Ventura2003–2004Anton Villatoro1996–1998Matt White2001–2003Dave Zabriskie2003–2004
Notable wins
2005 results DateRaceLocationWinner2005Team Classification, Hervis Tour of Austria Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team2005-02-27 Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne George Hincapie2005–04 Overall, Tour of Georgia Tom Danielson2005-05-19 Stage 11, Giro d'Italia Paolo Savoldelli2005-05-22 Overall, Volta a Catalunya Yaroslav Popovych2005-05-29 General Classification, Giro d'Italia Paolo Savoldelli2005-06-05 Prologue, Dauphiné Libéré George Hincapie2005-06-12 Points Classification, Dauphiné Libéré Lance Armstrong2005-06-12 Team Classification, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team2005-06-12 Stage 7, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré George Hincapie2005-07-05 Stage 4 (TTT) Speed record, Tour de France Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team2005-07-17 Stage 15, Tour de France George Hincapie2005-07-20 Stage 17, Tour de France Paolo Savoldelli2005-07-24 Best Young Rider Classification, Tour de France Yaroslav Popovych2005-08-04 Stage 1, Eneco Tour of Benelux Max van Heeswijk2005-08-08 Stage 5 Eneco Tour of Benelux Max van Heeswijk2005-08-28 GP Ouest-France George Hincapie2005-09-02 Stage 6, Vuelta a España Max van Heeswijk
2006 results DateRaceLocationWinner2006 National Cyclo-Cross Championship Roger Hammond2006-02-21 Stage 2, Tour of California George Hincapie2006-02-26 Stage 5, Tour of California George Hincapie2006-03-28 Stage 1, Three Days of De Panne Leif Hoste2006-03-30 Stage 4, Three Days of De Panne Leif Hoste2006-03-30 KOM, Three Days of De Panne Leif Hoste2006-03-30 Overall, Three Days of De Panne Leif Hoste2006-04-25 Prologue, Tour de Romandie Paolo Savoldelli2006-05-06 Prologue, Giro d'Italia Paolo Savoldelli2006-05-28 Combination Classification (Maglia Blu), Giro d'Italia Paolo Savoldelli2006-06-11 National Time Trial Cycling Championship Fumiyuki Beppu2006-07-03 yellow jersey as leader of the general classification after stage 1, Tour de France George Hincapie2006-07-09Overall, Tour of Austria Tom Danielson2006-07-14 Stage 12, Tour de France Yaroslav Popovych2006-07-23Overall, Sachsen Tour International Vladimir Gusev2006-08-01Prologue, Deutschland Tour Vladimir Gusev2006-08-09 Best Young Rider, Deutschland Tour Vladimir Gusev2006-08-20 Stage 4 (ITT), Eneco Tour of Benelux George Hincapie2006-08-27 National Time Trial Cycling Championship Leif Hoste2006-09-02 National Road Race Cycling Championship George Hincapie2006-09-04 Stage 1, Tour de Pologne Max van Heeswijk2006-09-06 Stage 11, Vuelta a España Egoi Martínez2006-09-13 Stage 17, Vuelta a España Tom Danielson2006-09-17 King of the Mountains, Vuelta a España Egoi Martínez2006-09-17 Team Classification, Vuelta a España Discovery Channel2006 National Road Race Cycling Championship Fumiyuki Beppu
2007 results DateRaceLocationWinner2007-02-15 Metas Volantes, 2007 Vuelta a Mallorca Tomas Vaitkus2007-02-18 Prologue, 2007 Tour of California Levi Leipheimer2007-02-23 Stage 5 (ITT), 2007 Tour of California Levi Leipheimer2007-02-25 Overall, 2007 Tour of California Levi Leipheimer2007-03-02 Stage 4, 2007 Vuelta a la Comunidad Valenciana Alberto Contador2007-03-15 Stage 4, 2007 Paris–Nice Alberto Contador2007-03-16 Stage 5, 2007 Paris–Nice Yaroslav Popovych2007-03-18 Stage 7, 2007 Paris–Nice Alberto Contador2007-03-18 Best Young Rider, 2007 Paris–Nice Alberto Contador2007-03-18 Overall, 2007 Paris–Nice Alberto Contador2007-03-29 Stage 4, 2007 Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León Alberto Contador2007-03-30 Spanish Rider Classification, 2007 Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León Alberto Contador2007-03-30 Combination Classification, 2007 Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León Alberto Contador2007-03-30 Overall, 2007 Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y León Alberto Contador2007-04-05 Stage 4 (ITT), 2007 Three Days of De Panne Stijn Devolder2007-04-18 Stage 3, 2007 Tour de Georgia Gianni Meersman2007-04-19 Stage 4 (ITT), 2007 Tour de Georgia Levi Leipheimer2007-04-20 Stage 5, 2007 Tour de Georgia Levi Leipheimer2007-04-22 Team Classification, 2007 Tour de Georgia Discovery Channel2007-04-22 Best Young Rider, 2007 Tour de Georgia Janez Brajkovič2007-04-22 Overall, 2007 Tour de Georgia Janez Brajkovič2007-05-23 Stage 3, 2007 Volta a Catalunya Allan Davis2007-06-01 Stage 3 (ITT), 2007 Tour of Belgium Vladimir Gusev2007-06-03 Overall, 2007 Tour of Belgium Vladimir Gusev2007-06-21 Stage 6, 2007 Tour de Suisse Vladimir Gusev2007-06-24 Mountains Classification, 2007 Tour de Suisse Vladimir Gusev2007-06-29 National Time Trial Cycling Championship Vladimir Gusev2007-07-01 National Road Race Championships Stijn Devolder2007-07-12 Stage 5, 2007 Tour of Austria Gianni Meersman2007-07-14 Stage 1, 2007 Tour of Qinghai Lake Allan Davis2007-07-14 Stage 7 (ITT), 2007 Tour of Austria Stijn Devolder2007-07-15 Overall, 2007 Tour of Austria Stijn Devolder2007-07-16 Stage 3, 2007 Tour of Qinghai Lake Allan Davis2007-07-18 Stage 5, 2007 Tour of Qinghai Lake Allan Davis2007-07-19 Stage 6, 2007 Tour of Qinghai Lake Allan Davis2007-07-21 Stage 8, 2007 Tour of Qinghai Lake José Luis Rubiera2007-07-22 Stage 9, 2007 Tour of Qinghai Lake Allan Davis2007-07-22 Points Classification, 2007 Tour of Qinghai Lake Allan Davis2007-07-22 Stage 14, 2007 Tour de France Alberto Contador2007-07-28 Stage 19 (ITT), 2007 Tour de France Levi Leipheimer2007-07-29 Team Classification, 2007 Tour de France Discovery Channel2007-07-29 Best Young Rider, 2007 Tour de France Alberto Contador2007-07-29 General classification, 2007 Tour de France Alberto Contador2007-08-13 Stage 2, 2007 Tour de l'Ain Brian Vandborg2007-09-02 National Road Race Cycling Championship Levi Leipheimer2007-09-12 Stage 2, 2007 Tour of Missouri George Hincapie2007-09-13 Stage 3, 2007 Tour of Missouri Levi Leipheimer2007-09-15 Stage 14, 2007 Vuelta a España Jason McCartney2007-09-16 Overall, 2007 Tour of Missouri George Hincapie
U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team history
The US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team and later named the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team presented by Berry Floor operated from 1996 through 2004. The United States Postal Service was the title (primary) sponsor from 1996 through 2004 and the team was nicknamed the "Blue Train". Berry Floor, a Belgian flooring company, was the secondary sponsor, also known as a Presenting Sponsor. Domestically the USPS Pro Cycling Team was presented by Alloc, the American subsidiary of Berry Floor.
Lance Armstrong won six Tours de France (1999–2004) (that were later stripped) with US Postal, and in 2003 Roberto Heras—at that time a US Postal rider—won the Vuelta a España. Armstrong went on to win a seventh Tour de France in 2005 (that was later also stripped), after the USPS contract and sponsorship ended.