Longest running sponsors and teams

[craig1985]

With the news that Cofidis have renewed their sponsorship for another two years, which should take them to the end of 2012, that will give them 16 years in the sport as a sponsor of a team (they started in 1997, and made famous by their support of Lance when he was diagnosed with cancer, and then when it looked that Lance would not survive, they punted him, at least that is what he wrote in his book). Other then Cofidis, surely Rabobank would have to get the nod of longest running sponsor, but I could be wrong. Any others?

Just so people don't get confused, Caisse d'Epargne don't count as one of the longest running sponsors since they have been involved since 2005, but they count as one the longest running teams, since they have been in the peloton since 1980 (Reynolds, Banesto, iBanesto.com, Illes Balears-Banesto, Illes Balears-Caisse d'Epargne), since the Caisse d'Epargne bank took over title sponsorship. They have all been title sponsors whilst José Miguel Echavarri ran the team until his retirement.

T-Mobile sponsored a team for around 15-16 years, but have lived on as Team Highroad, Columbia-Highroad, and HTC-Columbia. They are also in the running for longest teams. Also, I should stress, this currant Astana team, is actually different from the Astana that briefly took over when OP forced Liberty Seguros to cancel their sponsorship of the team. Once they had got rid of Manolo Saiz, a new Astana team was formed under Marc Biver, and then ran by the Hog, and you know the rest. It can be quite confusing. The Liberty Seguros that sponsored a Portuguese team up until last year, is again different from the team that sponsor Saiz's team.

 

[Angliru]

I was going to say Lampre but I believe their sponsorship may have been interrupted briefly.

Quickstep if I'm not mistaken was formerly Mapei so I guess that puts them in similar consideration with Caisse D'Epargne/Banesto/Reynolds.

Euskatel Euskadi has been in existence for a while. I believe they started as simply Euskadi.

Liquigas left the sport as a primary sponsor and came back.

Lotto has been with the sport for quite a while. I remember as far back as Andre Tchmil Paris-Roubaix win in the 90's. They have to be up there among the longest running although they've had co-sponsors for a number of years.

But you mean as the primary sponsor, uninterrupted, right?

 

[maikel]

I Thought Lampre and Rabo were the longest non-stop running sponsors in Cycling, something like 15 or 16 years.

 

[theyoungest]

I think Rabobank is the longest running main sponsor. Rabobank started its sponsorship in 1996. The team originates from the split of the TI-Raleigh team between Peter Post and Jan Raas in 1984. Team Rabobank is what evolved out of the Jan Raas branch. As a team, it has existed for 27 years, with Rabobank as its main sponsor for 15 years.

 

[ingsve]

If you still count Lotto as a main sponsor then they seem to be the longest running. They have been sponsors from 1985 either as the first name and in the last 5 years as the 2nd name sponsor.

 

[icefire]

Kelme run a team as the main sponsor from 1980 to 2003. It was the oldest sponsor in the pro peloton at the time they left.

Euskaltel-Euskadi has been around since 1994 with different main sponsors.

 

[maikel]

What about the ONCE team, they were in it for a long time

 

[taiwan]

cyclingarchives has Crédit Agricole as a title sponsor from '87 to '08- that's pretty long.

 

[Michele]

I thought Kelme was the longest running sponsor involved with cycling (as 1st or 2nd).

 

[ingsve]

I thought Kelme was the longest running sponsor involved with cycling (as 1st or 2nd).

They might have been before but their 23 years is passed by Lotto with 25 years as first or second.

 

[ingsve]

cyclingarchives has Crédit Agricole as a title sponsor from '87 to '08- that's pretty long.

No, they were sponsors from 87-89 and then from 98-2008. They weren't continuously sponsoring the same team. They took over as sponsor from GAN in 98.

 

[Mambo95]

I thought Kelme was the longest running sponsor involved with cycling (as 1st or 2nd).

Peugeot. 1901*-1914 and 1922-1986 (and then three more years as Z-Peugeot). At least 77 years. No-one else comes remotely close to that.

*Possibly earlier.

 

[taiwan]

No, they were sponsors from 87-89 and then from 98-2008. They weren't continuously sponsoring the same team. They took over as sponsor from GAN in 98.

Oops.My Bad.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

latexco's been in really long as second sponsor...
they started with mapei and they still are in with quick-step(under brandname innergetic)

 

[taiwan]

Colnago must have sponsored for many many years, between teams.

 

[craig1985]

There was a Mexican team that disbanded at the end of last year and they had been in the sport since 1954.

 

[Michele]

Tecos-Trek?

 

[Michele]

Peugeot. 1901*-1914 and 1922-1986 (and then three more years as Z-Peugeot). At least 77 years. No-one else comes remotely close to that.

*Possibly earlier.

There's ever something new to learn.
Thanks for the info.

 

[issoisso]

In terms of sponsors, Rabobank has been around a year longer than Cofidis. 1996.

Lampre have been around longer, but not always with the same team. In 2005 they switched to the team previously known as Saeco. A rare case of a sponsor switching teams (and taking a few riders with them).

In terms of longest running team, Lotto's been around since 1985, Rabobank since 1984 and Caisse since 1980.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Of the current pro péloton, the longest running continuous sponsor is probably Lotto. The longest-running team is the team that is presently Caisse (dating back to 1980 as Reynolds), and I think Rabo is next (having started as Kwantum in 1984, though many of their riders were from TI-Raleigh, which goes back even further to 1974 or so - though they're not quite as similar as De Rosa-Stac Plastic and Colnago-CSF Inox, both of which are - in the eyes of the official paperwork if nothing else - completely separate entities from LPR Brakes and CSF-Navigare. There is a strong case to say that Rabo are actually an older team because of this).

There are some pretty hardy sponsors out there - Liberty Seguros now sponsor an amateur team after being driven out of the Pro péloton and then out of the Continental péloton too; and LA Aluminios used to co-sponsor Liberty Seguros Continental, then became title sponsors of another dubious team, and now have taken over as lead sponsors of Paredes...

 

[ingsve]

Another question to ponder is: what bike manufaturer is the longest to continuously sponsor any top cycling team.

 

[Avoriaz]

Of the current pro péloton, the longest running continuous sponsor is probably Lotto. The longest-running team is the team that is presently Caisse (dating back to 1980 as Reynolds), and I think Rabo is next (having started as Kwantum in 1984, though many of their riders were from TI-Raleigh, which goes back even further to 1974 or so -

TI Raleigh morphed into Panasonic though, of you follow Peter Post. Kwantum was set up as a vehicle for some TI dissidents - Raas et al - and the rivalry was huge.

Atala sponsored a team in Italy for a long time - winning the Giro in 1912. Not sure when they packed up - not too long ago - nor if they were in continuous sponsorship....