Zabriskie leaving Team CSC for Slipstream Sports squad

Dave Zabriskie rode into the 2007 Tour de France knowing he was a soon-to-be free agent in the world of professional cycling. He also knew his sport was facing a crisis because of repeated scandals over doping and cheating.

The Salt Lake City cyclist appears to have addressed both of those professional concerns by agreeing to a two-year contract with Slipstream Sports. He'll join his new team after the conclusion of the current racing season.

"Some people are trying to tell me it's a step down," Zabriskie, who has returned to Salt Lake City to rehab an injured left knee, told the Deseret Morning News on Tuesday. "But I think it's a step in the right direction."

The Team CSC cyclist is one of three big-name cyclists signed by Slipstream since the Tour de France wrapped up last weekend. He's joined by CSC teammate and fellow American Christian Vande Velde and England's David Millar of the Saunier Duval team.

Slipstream is a new America-based team founded on the principle of racing with proven, clean athletes. Based in Colorado, the team with the funky, eye-catching argyle uniforms has sent groups of riders to many of the biggest races in the world but has focused primarily on a domestic calendar of events while trying to build its reputation.

"The Tour wants a good image," Zabriskie said. "They need to reinvent their image as much as some of the cyclists do. I think a team like Slipstream is exactly what the Tour de France needs."

According to the team's Web site, Slipstream is the most aggressive anti-doping cycling team on the road with frequent tests by an independent lab.

"All 23 of Slipstream/Chipotle's athletes are voluntarily participating in the program, which will test the athletes more than 1,200 times during 2007," the team states. "This is more than 20 times the number of tests that most professional cyclists are subject to annually through its governing body, Union Cycliste International."

"The testing program will be comprised of both blood and urine sampling and will focus on 'bio-markers' as opposed to traditional, direct element testing. This type of testing looks for potentially illegal performance enhancing metabolic variances in the riders' test results, as opposed (to) trying to find specific substances. By adopting this innovative testing regimen, Slipstream Sports' intention is to simply prevent any rider who could be doping from competing."