Riis Continues Search for New Team Sponsor
Bjarne Riis is still on the lookout for a replacement to Saxo Bank which has served as the main backer of his cycling team. However, team director Trey Greenwood has revealed that a new Danish company has expressed interest in taking over the reins as team sponsor.
Which should be good news for Riis, since a previous meeting with another potential Danish sponsor did not go as well as he had hoped. As for the current team sponosr, Saxo Bank was expected to continue until the end of the 2011 season, at least, but had opted to leave the team early, which left Riis with no other choice but to let several of his riders go. However, it was not the end of the world for the team, since Riis was still able to hold on to Andy and Frank Schleck, plus multiple world TT champ Fabian Cancellara, includng some other big names in cycling.
Greenwood says that they have always assured their riders that they could concentrate on their own jobs, since the company was doing the best that it can to find and sign a new sponsor for the team. He adds that several overseas companies had expressed interest as well, although no final decisions have been made yet.
Greenwood says that contrary to earlier reports, the team was not able to finalize a deal with Jakob Fugslang, and the rumor about the Schleck brothers and Cancellara leaving for a new team was also just a rumor.
Via Velonation
Your article is not accurate. Not one rider or staff were let go as the result of Saxo Bank pulling out early. Your timing is wrong. Some riders left in the fall, but no one has left after Saxo Bank made their announcement.
When we met at Playitas for our training camp in January, we had a team meeting where we discussed the situation. We agreed then that the riders and race staff would focus only on racing. All the business and sponsorship issues would be handled by team management, as it has always been. The key for us if that we don’t want the riders to feel any additional pressure because of the situation as their lives are stressful enough.
The pursuit of sponsorship is going very well and we are confident that we will have everything clarified before the Tour de France.
I usually refrain from commenting on things like this but I felt the need to do so when it is facts we are talking about and not opinions.
Best Regards,
Trey Greenwood
Managing Director
Team Saxo Bank