Key dates for Americans in international cycling

1981 — Jonathan Boyer is the first American to compete in the Tour de France.

1983 — Greg LeMond becomes the first American to win the world cycling championship.

1984 — LeMond places third in the Tour de France, becoming the first American to finish on the podium.

1985 — 7-Eleven is the first American-sponsored team in the Giro d'Italia, and Ron Keifel is the first American to win a stage. LeMond finishes third in the Giro and second in the Tour de France, and is the first American to win a Tour stage.

1986 — 7-Eleven is the first American-sponsored team in the Tour de France; LeMond becomes the first American to win the Tour de France.

1988 — Andy Hampsten wins the Giro.

1989 — LeMond wins the Tour de France and the world championship, both for the second time.

1990 — LeMond wins the Tour de France for the third time.

1991 — 7-Eleven disbands; Motorola team forms.

1993 — Lance Armstrong wins the world championship.

1996 — Motorola disbands; U.S. Postal Service team forms.

1997 — U.S. Postal races for the first time in the Tour de France.

1999-2006 — Armstrong wins a record seven Tour de France titles, six riding for U.S. Postal and the last for Discovery.

2005 — Discovery Channel replaces U.S. Postal as team sponsor.

2006 — Floyd Landis, riding for Phonak, wins the Tour de France, but a failed drug test puts title in limbo.

2007 — Discovery declines to renew its sponsorship and the team announces it will disband following the season, but not before two Discovery riders finish on the Tour de France podium — winner Alberto Contador of Spain and third-place Levi Leipheimer of the U.S.