Team Sunweb (Netherlands) – Press Release: Team Sunweb and their title partner, the online holiday operator Sunweb, are delighted and extremely proud to announce the extension of their partnership. The current agreement expires after 2019 and will then transform into a contract which runs for an indefinite amount of time; a unique agreement within the sport of cycling.

Sunweb solidify their statement of commitment to the sport through the new agreement and stay true to their word, which they echoed from Team Sunweb’s launch through long term future-focused investments. Tim Van den Bergh, Sunweb’s CCO said: “We’re extremely pleased with the extension of our partnership, which contributes hugely to our business goal of significant international growth in summer and winter holidays. Rather than being a temporary sponsor, Sunweb aims to build a strong legacy with the team and also as an investor in the sport, taking responsibility in the fields of youth development and anti-doping. The new agreement should not only be good for Sunweb and for the team, it should also be good for the sport of cycling and its future.”

Shaping the future:
The new contract runs for an indefinite amount of time and both parties now focus on the long term, looking towards their shared vision of developing the team and the sport of cycling as a whole.

Team Sunweb are thrilled with the new agreement, as it is unprecedented in terms of offering stability to a team, allowing them to roll out big plans and focus on extending their long-term investments.

One of these long-term investments is their Development Program; founded in 2017 the project is aimed at growing the very best German and international talents into WorldTour riders, whilst operating under the same umbrella as the existing Women’s and Men’s Programs. Another major pillar is their independent anti-doping program, which is designed to protect clean athletes and make cycling a better environment for them. In addition to this and new for 2019 and beyond, is the recently presented Keep Challenging Center – Home of Team Sunweb, which is due to come to life in the Euregio area (Germany and The Netherlands), Limburg. Alongside this, is the realisation of the team’s new office and logistical headquarters with an Experience Center for cycling enthusiasts, in Deventer later this year. If ever the parties decide to terminate the partnership in the far future, the agreement would then still run for nearly three years; two complete years on top of the full remainder of the year of which it was decided to discontinue the partnership.

Team Sunweb CEO, Iwan Spekenbrink said: “We keep shaping our future with our new Sunweb agreement and that’s a big compliment to the team, which I am extremely proud of. With this stability, our organizational focus can shift to many, many years into the future. It offers us the opportunity to not only think long-term but also to actually shape our future, ultimately becoming a durable elite cycling establishment for both men and women. It has been our dream from the start in 2008 to grow the team, with its vulnerable economics, into a revolutionary, durable cycling establishment. Several building blocks have now come to fruition, one of which is our Keep Challenging Center for athlete development and team optimization. On top, we can concentrate on setting up new innovative projects that we are launching in the upcoming years and beyond, where we’re aiming to set new standards in biomechanics, aerodynamics and equipment. To have Sunweb so committed to that dream and our Keep Challenging vision, and so firm on our side whilst exploiting the partnership intelligently in terms of marketing and activation to grow their business, is the very best one could wish for.”

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