UCI ProTour cycling outfit Team Belkin has announced it will rotate co-sponsor space on its jersey throughout the 2014 season.
Having received clearance from the International Cycling Union (UCI) over the move – the governing body’s rules state “each team may have only a single design for clothing (colours and layout) which may not be altered for the duration of the calendar year” – Team Belkin is set to appoint region-specific co-sponsors having already received interest for races in the USA and the Tour de France.
US consumer technology company Belkin undertook the title sponsorship of the Netherlands-based Blanco team ahead of last year’s Tour de France, replacing Rabobank after the Dutch financial services company announced its withdrawal from cycling at the end of 2012.
Regarding its new sponsorship policy, the team’s commercial manager Mark van de Camp told cycling website Wielerflits.nl: “It will be possible to sponsor the team for one race only, or for a period of time. For example, if an Australian company wants to advertise during the Tour Down Under only, this is possible. We discussed this with the UCI. It is allowed to change logos throughout the season. We are now talking with several parties who are interested for the races in the USA, or the Tour de France for example. Belkin will remain on the jersey but another major sponsor will be added.”