Scott, I'm glad you've made this comment because I have been wondering about Trek's involvement in racing post-Discovery for some time. The news is no great shock to me although it is of course disappointing.
A huge part of my cycling revolves around Trek, I currently own four and will add a new Madone in the new year all being well, and I love to see the brand doing well in racing. It would be a shame to not see the Madone in ProTour competition so I hope the company is able to find a suitable new team and keep the legacy of success alive into the future.
I also hope this blog remains active as I thoroughly enjoy reading it.

I think Trek would be a perfect fit with Team Slipstream, the next evolution of US-driven Cycling in Europe.

its gotta be t-mobile or slipstream now for you guys, what a tragic day in cycling, this is what cheats are doing to this great sport

I have been interested in biking since a kid, although I got into DeRosa in the early 80s and Trek in the last four years.

My Trek 5200 is almost perfect for me(even got my wife a WSD), purchased after a US Postal victory a few years ago and the loss of the Discovery team is going to be a real blow to American biking.

Any new team sponsor should announce that all riders will be tested on a regular basis for banned substances, on and off season, and with greater frequency of testing than is currently demanded, thereby setting a new standard to get the sport back to an honest platform acknowledged by the public with no chance of tarnish.

I believe all of sport is in danger of being considered by the public tainted and there is difficulty in finding a sponsor for cycling, in particular, who would want such an association with their product whose victories are marked with footnotes of scandal of drug or doping.

Trek makes a GREAT product and it deserves a US team sponsor that will reopen the US market to biking again. It would be good for America, for Trek, and for American biking!

As some say, when a door closes, another one opens, and I personally am optimistic about Trek's future in ProTour cycling...

It's a shame that the cheats could not be banned for life! We can only hope that something comes through before the team actually disbands! Maybe this announcement will get someone to step up and lay out some cash!

If not, Trek needs to go after SlipStream and keep it in the USA. Contador, Levi and Slipstream should be a good match.

O man this is horrible, i read about this. Well you guys a great company i seriously HOPE you guys should stay strong

just purchased trek bike this year really enjoy riding!!

Guys it has to be slipstream

I would love to see Trek involved in Unibet... Since Trek is a major player within the bike industry and helping Unibet deserve their place within the peloton in the big tours.

It would be great to see Slipstream pick up American gear sponsors like Trek and SRAM.

I have had about 4 Trek Bikes ranging from the First Aluminum and up to the last Carbon Frame prior to the Madone 5.2 that I got as a replacement for the first Carbon Frame when it Cracked. Basically I have ridden Trek since the mid 80's. I am disapointed that all previous Sponsers of what we have known as the Discovery Team. I know that they will find a primary sponser with the help of Lance Armstrong and hopefully a sponser that will last more than a few years. I actually met Lance when he was 14 and I saw immedeatly that he was going to be a force to deal with whether he remained in the Triathlon or went to Cycling alone as that was his strongest sport of the 3 in the Triathlon. Now that he owns a part of the Discovery Team that same drive will be getting a longer lasting sponser for the Team. With all the corruption within cycling it was good to see that a clean team effort actually won the Tour, although there were other clean teams within reach of Winning and that was in the end a refreshing note to end the Tour on.

I have been riding Trek bicycles for almost 20 years. I have seen your company grow by leaps & bounds in those years. I believe you build one of the best products in the market and I can only image what kind of bikes you will build in the future. I predict it only a mater of time before you pick up one or two more pro teams that want to ride you bikes. Thanks for the memories and look to the future. I say it looks bright.

I think trek will suit the team slipstream right...

The end of team discovery is very saddening at the same time life goes on. Trek will definantly find a team because Trek is the very best my only wish is that you guys stay with the Americans.

Trek - I'm saddened to see the sponsorship come to an end. I believe that the sport has made great progress in the States over the last 10 years and would hate to see the setback of this team disolving. I'm sure you have done an exhastive search for new sponsors, but I would like to take this chance to make one recommendation for new sponsorship, the company where I work, Bank of America. Our company has the patriotic image that the team has always embodied, we are huge advocates of sports sponsorships (NASCAR, Yankees, etc..), and the company would benefit tremendously from markeing in Europe (the next business frontier for BofA). I hope you guys are able to keep the team alive. -AJ

I should have been more clear in my post when I mentioned the meetings here at Trek. There will be no continuation of the Discovery/USPS program as we know it. The structure that ran that team no longer exists. As for sponsoring other programs, Trek's options are many but continuing on as the sponsor of Johan's program is not one of them.

Still recovering from the recent announcement which in some sense was to be expected, I guess. Question on behalf us week-end warriors, will the development programme of new TREK bikes and subsequently TREK's warranty policy suffer from Disco's dissolvement?

Guus - We learned a great deal from the team. Our bikes are better because of what they taught us. We hope to be in the pro peloton again soon. -Scott Daubert, Trek Road Bikes Brand Manager

I have always ridden trek from my first bike and love it. I am very saddened by the news of the Breakup of Discovery but these things happen. Trek should really sponsor the GB Cross Country Skiing Development Team as we need some help but Scott don't hesitate to get in touch

Scott,
I understood that Lance had signed a lifetime deal to work with Trek Bikes. Is that relationship also gone? Wondering because the Madone was specifically named for Lance's pre-Tour ride in Nice to test his fitness.

It seems if Lance isn't involved in the Madone's development anymore, it would be the standup position to take.

Owner: Madone SL5.9 and 5900

Robert - We still have a lifetime agreement with Lance and we plan to use him as a sounding board for bike develpment and occasionally for business matters. Few people know the European cycling climate and community as well as Lance does so I'm certain his experience will benefit Trek somehow. -Scott Daubert, Trek Road Bike Brand Manager

I'm looking forward to Trek's next team! Like everyone else, I'm saddened by the fact that Trek's Discovery Team has disbanded.

However, I'm looking forward to your next team. Whomever it might be, I hope you'll do as well as you did with Lance Armstrong's team. You have a very good product and you deserve to be in front of the peleton!

The date the new project one schemes will be available for new Madone? I understand January, does that mean new color schemes will show up online in say November for a January bike delivery?

Brian - January is when we will launch the new P-One site. -Scott Daubert, Trek Road Bike Manager.

Although I ride a Cannondale, I think Trek really has no other option but to stay involved in the ProTour competition. After 8 TdF victories Trek cannot afford to stay out.

I have owned 4 Treks over the last 8 years and I intend buying a Madone to assist my progression to Cat 2. Why is it so difficult to learn the weight of the differnt models, and guys what is with the colours - that is important stuff!!

Bob - We're working on publishing the weights. We have nothing to hide and will put the info up on the site ASAP. Not sure what you mean with your color mention... -Scott Daubert, Trek Road Bike Brand Manager

I have ridden a Trek (my first and only 'proper' bike) for the last four years and chose your brand largely on the back of the success of USPS and Lance.

Thanks for a great ride and good luck with finding a new team to sponsor. I for one would be sad if my dream bike wasn't flying over the cols of the Tour in 2008...

The convultions we all thought would pass over our sport, starting more than a year ago, are still with us. But because of them, other things will no longer be with us. It is incredibly unfortunate that the Discovery Channnel team will no longer be with us, The team had so much promise. But it is easy to understand why Johan and Lance would want to move on, even if we don't know all the details. As fans we can still watch the individuals race on other teams. But I do hope Trek re-emerges in the Pro Tour ranks. In the meantime we should all realize that this is all beyond our control, hop on our bikes, and go for a good ride!

Let's see - dream team? Jelly Belly riding Treks with Apple as a co-sponsor. I like it. Pat

Was heartbroken to learn of the dissolution of Team Discovery and its association with Trek. I have ridden Trek bikes since my first in 1987, a T1000 aluminium road bike that I still have. I count 8 summers in a row watching USPS/Discovery Team in The Tour 5-6 hours a day for 3 weeks. A very sad day when both the USPS and Discovery Channel have given up on US pro cycling.

Adios America

Just today I made some adjustments on my Madone 5.2 that I bought last year, and went for a short evening ride. I'm really shocked by this news. I don't know what kind of bike I would have bought if it wasn't for Trek's reputation. I don't have a dream car but I have a dream bike. Thank you Trek.

To bad for Trek they come out with the best bike the company has ever built and have no team to use it.
Hopefully a team can be found in time for the 2008 season so we can see those new Madones in action again.

I have been riding trek since 1993 with my first carbon 5500 and purchased 2 more this year for my wife and I. I would like to see a new team that is associated with Livestrong in some way. what a great marketing tool!!! come out and ride with the pros for cancer.

Scott...I trust Trek will do the right thing and do whatever it takes to remain in the ProTour peloton. There are several opportunities that an 8-time champion machine can take full advantage of - I think many would like to see Stapleton and T-Mobile ride an American made frame or perhaps Slipstruseam as it seems that they may be a new addition to the ProTour lot?

Trek and USPS, and later Discovery were all great complements to each other. Sponsorships come and go, we all have fond memories that we will cherish, but the time has come to move on. I believe the best possible team sponsor is TREK themselves (with Lance as the Manager). The brand name (Trek) recogintion the product (Madone) and the sport (Pro Cycling): A perfect fit. JD

(re: earlier comments)

Slipstream already has a US sponsor -- Felt Bicycles of California.

Has TREK been in contact with Team Slipstream re: sponsorship? I will be watching this american sponsored team in 2008.

I have posted before and since that comment I have seen the Tour of Ireland and Team Slipstream as well as T-Mobil and those teams are very much attatched to European Teams, and I feel that Trek should stay with the Riders of what was the Discovery Team and Find a sponser that would be more American but with some European Riders especially the Riders from The Former Team Discovery. That Team had the varied abilities to Win the Overall TdF and the Mountain Climber it only lacked someone with the ability to win in the Sprints Category. But they did have some Riders that could develop into Sprinters.

Scott, I have only been riding for two years, but quickly realized that Trek has the best product out there. I have owned Cannondale, Fuji, and Trek. I sold the others and now have four Trek road bikes including a '07 Madone SL 5.9, '03 5200, '95 720, and '91 2300. I don't see me buying any other brand as I am totally happy with Trek. I too would love to see Trek unite with Team Slipstream and keep it ALL-American. Keep up the great work.

Forget about slipstream and just build a new team. forget about the tour de france and focus on races here in the united states. The tour of california and the tour of ga was way more exciting then the over rated tour de france

I think it is irrelevant what Trek sponsors. Discovery sponsorship was a nice match, but it still boils down to the bike you build and not who rides it. Certainly seeing a brand like Trek, Shimano, Campy used by a star athlete is compelling, and I don’t think as much as a team. As Nike has Tiger Woods, Trek has Lance Armstrong.

I have a 2007 Madone 5.9. The Blue/Silver color scheme says what it is…with or without “Discovery” decals.

I think it is important to have the brand in the pro peloton. Love to see the bike with the Slipstream or T mobile team although I know they have Felt and Giant booked already. Tired of the doping like everyone else.
Love my bikes however- Livestrong #243, Madone SSLX, 9.9 mountain, 08 Madone 5.9(on order).

Say it ain't so!!! No Trek on the pro tours...heck, I though the "T" in TdF stood for Trek.

Let's keep this in the U.S. Slipstream is your next best move. Keep Trek in pro cycling.

Nice site