T-Mobile's Unlikely Cleanup Rider

摘要

In the insular world of pro cycling, Bob Stapleton stands out. For one thing, he's an American in a sport ran primarily by Europeans. For another, the new chief of the T-Mobile racing team comes armed with an impressive resume and an MBA from the University of California at Riverside-even if he doesn't yet have any Tour de France trophies. Cycling, plagued by doping scandals and the defection of sponsors even as its popularity grows in the U.S., could use a dose of Management 101. And few teams need more help than the one sponsored by T-Mobile, whose star rider Jan Ullrich was accused of using performance-enhancing substances on the eve of last year's Tour de France. After the avalanche of bad publicity that followed, the company considered ending its 15-year sponsorship.