| Page 2 of 2 < |
Discovery Channel Cycling Team Disbands
"They leave with the Discovery stamp," Bruyneel said. "I'm sure they will be very wanted."
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.
  Then Six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, of Austin, Texas, leader of the American Discovery Channel cycling team, left, poses with his teammates before training in La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, outside Nantes, western France, in this June 30, 2005 file photo, ahead of the 92nd edition of the Tour de France cycling race. Discovery Channel said Friday, Aug. 10, 2007, it will cease operations at the end of this season because it has been unable to find a new sponsor. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) (Peter Dejong - AP) |
"I've never committed a doping offense. I've never been involved in any act of doping," Contador said. "My promise against doping is absolute."
Although he never failed a drug test, Armstrong has been forced several times in recent years to deny repeated allegations that he use banned substances during his career.
Discovery also signed top Italian rider Ivan Basso in 2006 but was later forced to drop him when he was caught up in the Spanish blood-doping investigation.
"We had our share of controversies," Armstrong said before ticking off a list of team victories over the years. "And not one positive (drug) test."
Bruyneel oversaw each of the team's eight Tour victories.
"I'm going to miss the staff, riders and the excitement of the races, but not all the infighting between the teams. This team has become my family and it is very sad to think that we will not be together next season," he said.
___
Associated Press writers John Leicester in Paris and Paul Logothetis in Madrid, Spain, contributed to this report.
