Cycling fans were allowed to heave a collective sigh today when Alberto Contador merely announced at his scheduled press conference that he has not doped. Little else was said and no questions were to be taken.

Elsewhere, the LA Times is reporting that Team Discovery Channel still has not found a new sponsor. (No link provided because the free site require registration.) Cycling Logue has refused up until now to comment on the persistent rumor that George Hincapie will transfer to T-Mobile at the end of the season, but those rumors are certain to effervesce even closer to the surface with this report.

If that rumor proves to be true, it would be good news indeed for T-Mobile. George would be an excellent addition for the team whose sponsor recently renewed its commitment to support racing after the team demonstrated its commitment to riding clean races.

If the Discovery rumor proves true, it would be a sad commentary on racing in the United States. Discovery riders have been the subject of rumors but none of its riders has been connected to any doping violations. Discovery won the biggest race of the year with its up and coming star and placed yet another American on the podium in Paris. If the reward for sponsoring a team is the publicity it provides, what better investment could an American company with an international clientèle want?

As we have come to say here at the CL, time will tell. This writer hopes the rumors are untrue; especially now that Slipstream’s roster is filling up and there might not be any room there for Discovery’s best riders.