"Having a pro tour team makes you instantly legitimate. To be a major manufacturer you have to have one, both from a marketing and research and development standpoint."
That was the statement from Adrian Montgomery, Scott USA's marketing and public relations director for the bike division, during an interview last year regarding the company's rapid ascent to become one of the industry's leading players.
Nearly a year later, the Ketchum-based company has found itself once again in the hunt for a team, as it will be discontinuing its sponsorship of the team it's partnered with since 2004.
The company announced on Tuesday that it will not be a title sponsor of the Scott-American Beef cycling team for the 2009 season.
Montgomery said the decision was made after the team was not allowed to compete in the Vuelta a España, the third and last of the Grand Tours that take place in Europe during the summer.
It was yet another blow in an embattled 2008 season for the pro tour team, which was pulled from the Tour de France the previous month after team rider Riccardo Ricco tested positive after the race's fourth stage for a variant of the banned substance erythropoietin, commonly known as EPO. When injected, the hormone helps stimulate red blood cell production, in turn allowing more oxygen to be delivered to hard-working muscles.
Ricco, who won two early stages of the Tour de France, was subsequently fired from the team, as was Leonardo Piepoli, for what the team said were violations of its ethical code.
Shortly after Ricco's failed test, the team's former title sponsor, Saunier Duval, a German appliance manufacturer, pulled out of the sport altogether.
To keep the team rolling on Scott bikes, the company quickly joined forces with Mexican meat-packer American Beef, but the setback with the Spanish Vuelta was the final straw for Scott.
"It's pretty black and white," Montgomery said. "The scandal happened and we weren't sure if we would be able to continue, and then it became obvious we couldn't."
Montgomery said Scott was very disappointed, as the company has insisted that Ricco's indiscretion was not indicative of the team in general, but rather the action of an individual.
"Companies spend millions of dollars to sponsor teams and then lose out when they aren't invited back to the tours because of a single rider," Montgomery said.
However, Montgomery said Scott will definitely not be sitting on the sidelines in 2009, and is actively looking for another team.
"We have to have a team for next year," said Montgomery, adding that it's critical to constant improvement of the design of its bikes.
And with only 20 teams competing in the tours and over 170 bicycle manufacturers worldwide, the marketing benefits are obvious.
"We're in the business of selling bikes." Montgomery said. "If you can't be in the Grand Tours, we can't be part of your team."
Adrian Montgomery, Scott USA’s marketing and public relations director for the bike division, said the company is looking to partner with another pro-tour cycling team after dropping its sponsorship of the Scott-American Beef team, formerly Saunier Duval. The team has lost its title sponsor twice in two months since one of its riders tested positive for a banned substance during July’s Tour de France. Photo by Jon Duval
