I'd like to see some FACTS about the WHY before I get my "panties in a wad" so to speak.

For all anybody knows (unless you know something you haven't shared here in your little diatribe) Katie could have initiated the breakup, or asked for more than they can possibly afford. (or, now that I've scanned a few news articles looking (unsuccessfully) for details on this split, they know or suspect something about her health that we aren't aware of). Or, like smilingcat mentioned; they simply cannot afford to support her.

I'm certainly NOT going to jump on the "female athlete discrimination" bandwagon with you until there's some darn good proof of that. They did hire her in the first place, and it's DARN COMMON in other sports for contracts to not be renewed (from both parties) and people to shuffle around (yes, even the star athletes).

I'm more likely, as a customer, to never walk into a shop again after they cut ties with a brand I owned (thus making any warranty or other issues a whole lot bigger pain in my rear) because someone was unhappy about their race team practices (frankly I don't give a rat's behind about race teams) before even getting all the facts.

You first need to SHOW us that there's an ACTUAL inequality. Heck, from your post I'm just ASSUMING that the person they kept is a man?!?!

(not necessarily defending Planet Bike either; I just have no earthly idea what's actually going on. If you want me (or others) to decry this company as scum of the Earth you're going to have to do a better job of telling us/me why we/I should.)