Bskyb Creates Team Sky Cycling Team

BSkyB has announced the creation of a professional British road cycling team, Team Sky, to be managed by GB Olympic performance director Dave Brailsford.
 
Team Sky will build on the principles that make British riders a consistent success on the track and will support Sky’s work as principal partner of British Cycling, fuelling the sport from grass roots to elite level.
           
Team Sky will aim to create the first British winner of the Tour de France, within five years and well as inspiring increased participation in the sport across all ages.
 
Team Sky will have a core of British riders, coaches and support staff and its HQ will be in Manchester, home to the GB cycling team. It will compete from the start of 2010, throughout the calendar, with the objective of gaining an invitation to the Tour de France.

The race schedule will include the Tour of Britain, a chance to showcase the team on home ground.

An initial squad of around 25 riders will be recruited during the 2009 calendar year. They will be supported by a team of coaches, technicians and support staff from across the cycling world, many of whom work throughout the year with British elite and developing riders.

Team Sky will now start to recruit key personnel and approach commercial partners to support the new team.
 
Since becoming principal partner of British Cycling last summer Sky has launched a number of initiatives including the Sky Sports London Freewheel in September which brought more than 50,000 recreational riders together to ride traffic-free streets in the heart of London. 
 
Sky is also working with British Cycling to develop a range of inspiring events, to make cycling fun, easy and accessible to all, which will be announced in the spring.