Sam Bennett has had a great start to his professional career with the netApp Endura team but the squad will change their name next season.
By Gerard Cromwell
Carrick-on-Suir sprinter, Sam Bennett’s professional team has received a huge boost today with news that German company BORA will be the new title sponsor of the current Team NetApp Endura squad from 2015.
Cooktops and cooktop extractor systems manufacturer, BORA has committed itself to backing the squad for five years, meaning that for the first time since 2010 there will again be a German professional team with a German main sponsor.
"I am delighted to announce that with BORA we again have a German company back in professional cycling as a title sponsor,” said team boss Ralf Denk during a press launch on the Tour de France's first rest day in Besancon today.
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“In BORA we have acquired a title sponsor that is entrepreneur-led, growing healthily, commercially well established and not afraid to compete with its innovations against the big companies.
"I can see clear parallels with our team. The commitment of BORA demonstrates that we have been on the right path for the last five years.”
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After having their company name on the team’s jersey as a partner since 2012, BORA will take over the naming rights of the team as of January 1, 2015, with their contract running until the end of 2019.
"First of all, we are happy to have secured the future of the team so early and for such a long period,” says Denk, who aims to take the squad up to WorldTour level in the coming years..
“With BORA, we intend to become further established as one of the best ProContinental teams, so that we can get into the new WorldTour in 2017.
"Only this will enable us to offer BORA the world's biggest races as a platform for its brand," says Denk, outlining the strategy.
While Irish star Sam Bennett has another year with the squad, Denk has also acquired more partners for the team and hopes to extend some of his riders contracts and sign new riders in the coming months.
For the moment though they will concentrate on continuing to make an impression on their debut at the Tour de France.
Said Denk: "During the Tour, the riders should concentrate on their debut in this, the world's biggest cycling race. There is no time for contractual discussions then.
"We already extended some contracts before the Tour, others will follow afterwards and we will be recruiting new riders from August 1."
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