NTT Pro Cycling confirms search for sponsor with NTT leaving at end of 2020
NTT Pro Cycling is looking for a new sponsor as telecommunications company NTT will be departing from its role as title sponsor at the end of the season.
The team confirmed the news, which has been rumored for some time, in a statement on Monday.
“NTT Pro Cycling, formerly Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka, is looking for a new title sponsor following the confirmation that NTT has now opted not to renew their contract beyond 2020,” the statement read.
“On Monday evening team principal Douglas Ryder informed all members of our organization – the UCI WorldTour outfit and UCI Continental team – that NTT will not continue with the team, ending our six-year association.”
The squad has been known as NTT Pro Cycling since the start of the season after a global rebrand for the company that owned Dimension Data, which had been the team’s title sponsor since 2016.
With NTT leaving, the South African squad now finds itself in a difficult situation at a tough time for cycling teams in the top division. CCC is also still looking for a new title sponsor and has been since April, when Polish footwear company CCC announced that it would be ending its relationship with the squad at the end of the year.
Monday’s announcement marks a significant turn of events for an NTT team that entered 2020 with an optimistic outlook amid the rebrand and an announcement that a Danish business group that included Bjarne Riis would buy part of team. Riis has taken over as the team’s general manager, but plans for his group to acquire part of the team had not materialized as of at least June, with the coronavirus pandemic putting things on hold.
Now, the team is also facing serious question over its ability to continue into 2021, with no title sponsor and very little time left in the year to find a new partner.
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