UCI ProTour cycling team Garmin-Sharp has said it will change its naming sponsor arrangements in 2015.
GPS technology firm Garmin has backed the US squad as title sponsor and co-title sponsor since 2008 and has a contract beyond the current season.
But speaking after yesterday’s third stage of the Tour de France, team manager Jonathan Vaughters said Garmin’s continued involvement would not be as title sponsor.
He told the CyclingNews.com website: “Garmin has a contract with the team next year but not as a title sponsor. The team name will definitely change next year, yes.”
Japanese electronics company Sharp taking the title designation on its own is one option, but Vaughters chose to remain coy on the subject.
“That remains to be seen,” he said, regarding any prospective increase in Sharp’s involvement. “We have a financial situation where we have a lead partner but we’re not talking about it until the Tour de France is over.”
Garmin-Sharp’s 2014 Critérium du Dauphiné winner Andrew Talansky (pictured) is currently in the chasing group two seconds behind leader Vincenzo Nibali in the Tour de France general classification.