Bigla-Katusha faces uncertain future as both title sponsors pull funding
The Bigla-Katusha team is facing an uncertain future as both of its title sponsors have pulled their funding, according to a team announcement on Friday.
“The Team Manager received a letter from its main title partner Bigla, indicating that the company wishes to withdraw 100% of its payments to the team,” the team said in a statement. “The team’s other title partner, Katusha, has already declined to pay the team any funds for the past month.”
Bigla has been a financial backer for the squad for more than a decade. Katusha, on the other hand, came on board this season, moving into the women’s peloton after its title sponsorship of the men’s Katusha team ended.
Formerly known variously as the Bigla and Cervélo-Bigla teams, the squad has finished the last several seasons in the top 10 of the UCI women’s team rankings. This year, the team had already collected a national road title (courtesy of New Zealand’s Niamh Fisher-Black) and two other UCI wins.
Now, however, a lack of funding puts the “existence of the squad in doubt,” according to the team’s statement.
“To see such a well-recognizable and successful team, with 200 podiums to its name since 2015, in this difficult situation is very disappointing, not only for the squad, but also for its partners, supporters and cycling fans in general,” Bigla-Katusha said.
“The team hopes that both title partners will be willing to undertake further discussions with the team to negotiate the best way forward and ensure the squad’s survival.”
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