UCI World Tour cycling team Giant-Shimano has agreed a four-year title sponsorship deal with German shampoo brand Alpecin.
Under the terms of the deal, which takes effect from January 2015 and will run until the end of 2018, the team will be renamed Giant-Alpecin. The agreement means a German firm will be present in cycling’s highest tier for the first time in five years.
Eduard Dörrenberg, executive director and shareholder of Alpecin, said: “Alpecin has been committed to cycling for more than half a century. With this important step, for us the circle is now complete. For Alpecin, unique opportunities to activate new worldwide markets open up, working in cooperation with Giant, the biggest worldwide bike producer.”
In January, Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer Giant agreed a multi-year deal with the Dutch team formerly known as Argos-Shimano under which it assumed title sponsorship of the squad. Giant chief executive Tony Lo said: “In partnership with Shimano, we made a strong commitment to the team this year so they could compete at the highest level. We’re happy that the performance and dedication of the riders and staff has led to the addition of Alpecin as a new long-term partner. Our mission to advance the sport of cycling, and to promote this healthy activity worldwide, will continue with Team Giant-Alpecin.”
Alpecin’s commercial slogan is ‘doping, just for your hair.’ Dörrenberg has sought to clarify the potentially sensitive nature of this slogan, given cycling’s chequered history when it comes to doping scandals.
He added: “There is a clear division here between the sponsoring of a professional cycling team on one hand and a metaphor used purely for advertising for a shampoo on the other, one that evidently improves the performance of the hair root. Consumers understand this advertising message, and the German advertising council has approved it. As a consequence of the clear split, the slogan will not be used in connection with our cycling communications.”
The addition of Alpecin enhances the team’s strong German roots. The squad boasts five German riders, headlined by leading sprinter Marcel Kittel.