Sky TV Launches U.K. Cycling Team, Aiming For '10 Tour De France

Sky TV has signed on as the title sponsor through '13 of a new U.K.-based cycling team led by British Cycling Performance Dir Dave Brailsford that will "aim to produce a British cyclist capable of challenging" to win the Tour de France, according to William Fotheringham of the Manchester GUARDIAN. Sky, which last June was announced as a principal partner for British Cycling, already supports an "arm of the track cycling squad" through Sky+ HD. But the new title sponsorship is a "further venture, owned by Sky itself, and could cost up to [US$42.8M] over the four years." Meetings have been held with the Amaury Sport Organisation, which organizes the Tour de France, to "establish the criteria the team would need to meet to obtain a wild card entry to next year's race" (Manchester GUARDIAN, 2/26). BRAND REPUBLIC's James Quilter reports the team's "first appearance will be in Australia's Tour Down Under in January next year." Sky Dir of Commercial Group Stephen Nuttall said that Team Sky is "currently looking to sign up two consumer brands to sponsor the team." The team also has not year signed "kit and bike suppliers" (BRANDREPUBLIC.com, 2/26). In London, Brendan Gallagher writes given Sky's global reputation "as 'big-hitters' it is also a considerable coup for the sport in general." That should "help smooth over possible teething problems, particular[ly] next season when Team Sky will have to rely on a 'wild-card' invite from the Tour de France organisers to compete." Initially, half of the team "will probably be British, but that is expected to become greater as a flood of young talent comes on stream" (London TELEGRAPH, 2/26).