And So It Begins...

Although highly speculated, but not formally confirmed or announced, George Hincapie will not go down in the books as the first Discovery Channel rider to find a new employer [T-Mobile]. That distinction belongs to Antonio Cruz, who inked a new contract with American Continental Professional team BMC. Right on the heels of his signing was that of the precocious talent, Slovenian Jani Brajkovic who will ride with T-Mobile next year.

The movement of riders from the soon to be defunct Discovery Channel Professional Cycling team isn't quite on par or as dramatic as the fire sale that engulfed the Florida Marlins after their 1997 World Series victory [afterall, its not like the team won and then disappeared the next year], but for fans of American cycling its close.

The nationalistic pride that once accompanied following an American team in the European peloton is quickly being reduced to keeping tabs on individuals. Twenty years later American cycling is back to where it began.