UCI WorldTour cycling outfit CCC Team is seeking a new title sponsor after Polish shoe and bag retail group CCC elected to end its deal early amid wider financial struggles at the company.
While CCC Team is yet to officially comment on the matter, Flemish newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport and the Cyclingnews website have all reported the news.
The future of the former BMC Racing team was seemingly secured back in July 2018 after CCC stepped in as the new title sponsor. Swiss bike manufacturer BMC stepped away completely from the US-registered team, which had been openly seeking a new main sponsor for some time before CCC’s arrival.
Now Polish-registered, the team had held a three-year contract with CCC, but this is now set to end this year. However, an agreement has reportedly been reached between the team and its riders under which the athletes will receive at least half of the salaries for 2020. Het Nieuwsblad said bike manufacturer and team co-sponsor, Giant, will continue its sponsorship deal, but will not look to step up to main sponsor status.
Earlier this month, the International Cycling Union (UCI) revealed a new August to November calendar for road cycling, but a number of WorldTour teams are currently struggling financially amid the ongoing Covid-19 shutdown. Astana, Lotto Soudal, Bahrain-McLaren and Mitchelton-Scott are all said to have reduced or deferred rider salaries.
Speaking to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf yesterday (Monday), UCI president David Lappartient expressed his concern over the future of some teams. “We know that three, four, five teams have more problems than other teams,” he said. “We hope they all reach the end of the season.”
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