UCI WorldTour cycling team Mitchelton-Scott has agreed a deal for Manuela Fundación to become its new title sponsor for the rest of the 2020 season.
The Australian outfit will be rebranded as ‘Team Manuela Fundación’ through a new agreement with the Spanish non-profit organisation. The exact length of the deal was not disclosed but the team confirmed that a “long-term” agreement has been reached.
Manuela Fundación’s branding will feature on the front of the team’s jerseys as part of the deal.
Manuela Fundación is based in Granada and is run by Francisco Huertas and his wife Maria Angustias. The foundation will officially launch on October 4 and in its early years will focus on Spain.
The deal will secure the financial future of the team, after what owner Gerry Ryan has described as a difficult period. Recent reports have suggested that Mitchelton-Scott could be disbanded at the end of the 2020 season.
Ryan added: “After an unsettling and uncertain period, particularly in recent months, we are thrilled to have the support of Mr Francisco Huertas and the Manuela Fundación to ensure our future in 2021 and beyond.
“We have always believed in our product and values as a team for (prospective) partners, but the significance of this long-term deal is not lost on us, especially considering the recent hardships of not only the cycling world and sports industry, but the wider world’s health and economic climate.
“As an organisation, we are moved by the story of the Manuela Fundación and are looking forward to working with such a generous project and doing our part to contribute to their vision of helping to create a more supportive world.”
