US bicycle manufacturer Specialized Women has renewed its deal to serve as the official performance bike of women’s cycling event La Course by Le Tour de France.
Specialized Women supplied the inaugural 2014 edition of the one-day race, held on the final day of the Tour de France, and the new three-year deal covers the 2015 to 2017 events.
La Course is organised by Tour de France operator Amaury Sport Organisation and was won last year by the Netherlands’ Marianne Vos.
Slate Olson, chief managing officer of Specialized, said: “It was terrific to see women racing on the world’s biggest stage last July. It is important that we keep this momentum going, and with our support of La Course we hope to ensure that the exposure to a growing global audience will only strengthen the sport for women racing at the highest level.”
Specialized Women also sponsors the Boels-Dolman team, whose riders include Britain’s Lizzie Armitstead, the Netherlands’ Ellen van Dijk and American star Evelyn Stevens.