CSC to Pull Sponsorship on Bjarne Riis After 2008

The red and black of CSC will be gone after 2008

The news came down in the late afternoon in the US yesterday that team CSC will not be sponsoring Bjarne Riis's team in 2009. The American-based Computer Sciences Corporation are pulling their sponsorship due to "a shift in priorities." Team boss Riis was cautiously optimistic that his team would secure a sponsor. "We've had a long and excellent collaboration with CSC and when it comes to an end after this season we can look back upon eight years that have been very fruitful for both partners. I know that we are ready to go out and show the world that we are here to stay. We have an exceptional product with worldwide exposure that we can offer to a new sponsor. We believe we have the best team in the world, both the riders on their bikes and the staff supporting them behind the scenes."

Bjarne must be at least a little bummed that his title sponsor is gone

With the exit of the tech giant, Riis will have to go on the search for a new title sponsor. CSC has an aggressive internal doping program and a line up of some of the strongest riders in the world, so Riis should have no problem finding a sponsor. Whether he'll be able to find another American-based sponsor is another proposition. Cycling isn't nearly as popular in America as it is in Europe, so Riis may find it easier to strike a deal with a European sponsor.

Riis's teams are known for their team work, organization, efficiency, and attention to detail

So why does all this matter? Because if Riis's title sponsor is based in Europe and not America, he may not be able to consider a winter training camp in California, or a strong domestic presence in other big American races like the Tour of Georgia, Missouri, and the Philly Week series. American fans, long used to seeing world time trial champion Fabian Cancellera, super sprinter JJ Haedo and classics strongman Stuey O'Grady once or twice a year, will suddenly find Riis's team gone, competing and training elsewhere. Sure, Riis will always want his team at the Tour of California, but he won't have reason to race elsewhere in the states like he has in the past.

Staying with red? If Riis lands Oracle, he could at least keep the same color motif, while gaining a cooler tag line for his team. Picture it now: "Riis Cycling: Powered by Oracle"

It is still early to get too worried about Riis taking his talented team elsewhere to compete and train, as the California Oracle corporation should be a consideration for the Danish-registered team. The software company was ready to become the title sponsor for Johan Bruyneel's Discovery team, before "Sir Lancelot" Armstrong got cold feet and walked away from the sport of cycling and his former teammates. If Riis can strike a deal with Oracle, he'll be back in business, and still based in the US, to the delight of American cycling fans everywhere.