Matt Brammeier's team MTN Qhubeka was surprised to hear telecommunications company MTN was pulling out as title sponsors but has insisted the future is bright and will be marked by expansion.
Having lost his place in the top flight four years ago when telecommunications company HTC pulled its backing from HTC Highroad, Matt Brammeier is facing the same commercial reality today.
This time the MTN African communications company has said it was cease to sponsor his MTN Qhubeka ProContinental team at the end of the season.
However, while the squad was said to be surprised by the development, it insisted the future was bright and would be marked by expansion.
And Dimension Data, which was the official technology partner of the Tour de France this year, looks set to step into MTN’s shoes to become the squad’s main backer next year.
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The data company is African and is already a secondary sponsor of the squad.
That’s good news for four-time Irish champion Brammeier who has ridden excellently this year and has another season to run on his two-year contract with the team.
MTN is said to have spent around £5 million on the team since 2013 but has questioned the value of that investment given the tough global economic conditions.
MTN’s corporate affairs executive Chris Maroleng said: “Considering the tough operating environment in the telecommunications industry we’ve really had to reassess.
“(It is) not just the Qhubeka sponsorship‚ but a number of other engagements we feel don’t have a return on that investment at the levels of comfort to us.”
Team principal Douglas Ryder was interviewed on radio in South Africa and seemed surprised but not concerned at the MTN news.
“The team has many options going forward‚ huge interest as you can imagine,” he said, clearly still on a high after its first Tour where it held the polka dot jersey four a period, was ever-present in breakaways and won a stage on Mandela Day.
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“So the future of the team is incredible. There’s no issues there.”
Four years ago Brammeier was with HTC Highroad, having jumped to WorldTour level from the Continental level An Post-Sean Kelly squad.
And having impressed with the outfit that counted Mark Cavendish as a star name, he was offered an extended contract on a higher salary.
However, within days of that offer the team folded and Brammeier found a berth with Omega Pharma-QuickStep for the following, 2012, season.
He did not appear to be as happy there and in 2013 rode for Champion System followed by the Synergy Baku team of David McQuaid last year.
He then agreed a two-year deal with MTN Qhubeka for this year and next season.
The 30-year-old has showed some great form in recent months, riding in the breakaway in a number of key races including the Tour of Flanders.
He missed out on a ride in the Tour de France, with the team having long said it would favour African riders for the race.
However, the Irish international looks set to ride the Vuelta.
A good ride in Spain combined with his form to date may bring him a new contract long before his current deal runs out.
So news that a new sponsor appears to be coming in as the existing one is exiting, is a very positive development for him.
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