With the Christmas and New Year's holidays over and the team presentation just around the corner, Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team manager Johan Bruyneel was relaxed and confident when we spoke to him at his home in Madrid, Spain for part two of our interview. (See also: Part I.)
Cyclingnews: Johan, It's almost one year that you've been working on the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team and with the presentation coming up soon, I'm curious where your head is at. Is everything ready to go?
Johan Bruyneel: I'd say right now, the work is done...things are how they should be at this point, just before the team presentation and first team camp. I like how we did it; we had a good strategy with the sponsors and have the budget we need for the team. With Discovery Communications, Advanced Micro Devices, Trek, 24 Hour Fitness and now Berry Floor, we have great support. I feel good about where we are; the sponsors are good and the composition of the team we put together is good. So I can actually relax before the team presentation. We're ready to go.
CN: In our Cyclingnews 2004 Reader Poll Results, Lance Armstrong was voted Rider of the Year, Best Moment of 2004 (winning Tour De France Stage 17 against Klöden) and being voted Legend Of Cycling for the second consecutive year.
JB: I think it's because Lance's sixth consecutive victory is historical...it would be difficult to perform better than he did. Not to minimize the performance of any other rider, but I know the kind of efforts that went into Lance's sixth Tour win. I think that it's a big honour (for Lance) to be selected by Cyclingnews readers; no one better than the people who really know cycling. This is one of many honours that Lance has gotten this year, like the Associated Press Sportsman of the Year. Without a doubt, Lance made history this year and since it was a moment when a lot of people didn't expect him to win, so his Tour win was actually a lot bigger.
