Skil-Shimano gets a new title sponsor

[GJB123]

I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere else, so I will give it a new thread.
According to Dutch newspapers, Skil-Shimano will get a new title sponsor in 2012, a yet unnamed European multinational.

In Dutch:

http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1018/Wielren...ational-vervangt-Skil-als-wielersponsor.dhtml

http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/wielersport/10635304/__Skil-Shimano_breidt_uit__.html

The team will start 2012 under the name 1t4i, which stands for teamspirit, inspiration, integrity, improvement, innovation. The team will be based in the south of France. It also states that the "new" team has applied for a WT-spot.

Regards
GJ

 

[Moncoutie]

I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere else, so I will give it a new thread.
According to Dutch newspapers, Skil-Shimano will get a new title sponsor in 2012, a yet unnamed European multinational.

In Dutch:

http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1018/Wielren...ational-vervangt-Skil-als-wielersponsor.dhtml

http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/wielersport/10635304/__Skil-Shimano_breidt_uit__.html

The team will start 2012 under the name 1t4i, which stands for teamspirit, inspiration, integrity, improvement, innovation. The team will be based in the south of France. It also states that the "new" team has applied for a WT-spot.

Regards
GJ

Just terrible!

 

[Cobblestones]

Just terrible!

'Team 1t4i'?

Reads like 'Team Titties'. I could cheer for that.

 

[GJB123]

Just terrible!

Yeah, it is a bit corny to say the least, but it beats Leopard or GreenEdge everyday in my book, especially taking into account that they will at least show a title sponsor come spring classics.

Regards
GJ

 

[ingsve]

I'd be very interested to know what types of recruitments they are making to make a WT run viable. There can't be that many high point scorers left out there can it?

 

[luckyboy]

Brajkovic to 1T4I !
They must have someone decent coming in for the classics if they're announcing then..

I'm going to miss their jersey design.
It's a nice dream to see the Mapei cubes come back, but that's not going to happen. PS If it's Mapei I called it first

 

[ingsve]

It seems that they are saying that even if the don't get a WT spot they at least hope for a Tour invite next year which might mean that they are looking to recruit some more french riders?

 

[taiwan]

Surely the 1t4i is just the holding company name, won't be on a jersey and doesn't matter.

Speculation: German company, with Kittel smashing everyone and now Degenkolb and Gretsch on the books? Someone like Wuerth maybe - have a history of cycling sponsorship.

 

[luckyboy]

Yeah with them being based in the South of France too it looks like they will probably bring some in. Brice Feillu?

 

[ingsve]

I looked closer at their new site and the press release says they are expexting to become a WT team in 2013 so I guess they're not fully focused on getting there already this year.

 

[Midnightfright]

Cav to Skil Shimano!

 

[Swabian Lass]

Team 1t4i? Well, I guess it's better than Leopard and if they have the title sponsor in place by Spring they won't have to use it too long. It will be very interesting to see who they've got coming in - I hear there's a certain British sprinter who hasn't announced where he's going yet.....

Seriously it would be good to see a German company in there. Given that WT status by 2013 sounds like a realistic goal. get some promising riders in there this year (which they're doing), develop them, get some wins in, maybe sign a bigger name next year.

 

[The Sheep]

Why would a sponsor wait till march before putting the name on the jersey.

 

[GJB123]

I looked closer at their new site and the press release says they are expexting to become a WT team in 2013 so I guess they're not fully focused on getting there already this year.

Not entirely. They say they expect to be a WT-team next year or in 2013. They are certainly not ruling out 2012.

Regards
GJ

 

[patterson_hood]

Apparently the new sponsor is HTC...

 

[The Sheep]

Taiwan has moved to Europe?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

1t4i is even worse than Leopard (though at least they haven't yet insisted we refer to them in ALL CAPS or don't put hyphens in as if the team name LEOPARD TREK implies that some very loud people are going hiking in search of some dangerous wildlife) as a name. Worse than VeloCity (the offshoot that Milram were going to become but didn't) even.

Just wow. Why not just be Skil-Shimano until the new sponsor comes on board, like when Illes Balears became Caisse d'Epargne or CSC became CSC-Saxo Bank, or Columbia became HTC, or all sorts of examples littered through the sport's history?

 

[TRDean]

I'm still a fan...there must be a reason for the timing of everything. I hope they can sign another bigger named rider for next season. Gonna be different...I personally really like the Skil jerseys and Koga frames! Felt...not so much...van Hummel gone...oh well, the times are a changin!

 

[Dutchsmurf]

Why would a sponsor wait till march before putting the name on the jersey.

Apparently the new sponsor will launch a marketing campaign around March and sponsoring a cycling team will be part of that. So they are delaying the announcement to match the campaign.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Hopefully the relatively new Skil-Koga women's team will benefit from this rather than fall by the wayside, but I fear it will probably be the latter.

 

[WillemS]

So, which European multinationals need to renew their fame?

Philips? They're just pulling out of the negative zone, but I doubt they would want to spend to cash.

E.On? They're quite busy on the market these days.

It would be nice if it would be Bayer, then they would just be mocking the anti-doping loby.

 

[bicing]

Personally I just love the CO2 neutral trees thing.

New favourite team!

 

[luckyboy]

Wonder why Skil are off the jersey with immediate effect? Seems a little strange.

Skil's brand, however, will be immediately removed from the team's jersey and for the remainder of the season they will race with "Project 1t4i" on their kit.

 

[ansimi]

Wonder why Skil are off the jersey with immediate effect? Seems a little strange.

Hmm, maybe the new sponsor competes with Skil in some market space? Or Skil is doing a rebranding? Or somebody at Skil had a temper tantrum when they didn't get their way?

 

[greenedge]

Hopefully they can get more financial clout with the new sponsors. They do have a nice team. Is Geschke staying on though??