Taiwanese bike company may be about to step up commitment to save Dutch team
Giant Bicycles is considering taking over as the name-sponsor of the Rabobank team after the shock decision of the Dutch bank to pull out at the end of the season. The Taiwanese company, which is the biggest bike manufacturer in the World, has its European headquarters in Lelystad, near Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, and has been supplying frames to the Dutch team since 2009.
Earlier this month it was announced that Giant was to take over supplying the team’s clothing but Tom Davies, Sport Marketing Manager of Giant Global Marketing Team, has confirmed to VeloNation that they are now considering an even bigger commitment.
“Like the British breakfast that you and I are so fond of… the chicken is involved but the pig is committed!” the Welshman joked. “Rabo is the chicken and we are the pig!”
With Rabobank pulling the plug at the end of the year, it will be the second time in five years that a Giant-equipped team has lost its main sponsor, after T-Mobile pulled out in 2007. That team went on to become one of the most successful in the sport however, eventually becoming HTC-Highroad before its closure last year, so there is cause for some optimism.
“We will continue, but need time to figure out what level of involvement makes sense for us, be it as we were about to be a bike and clothing supplier, to a more dominant co-sponsor or even main sponsor,” said Davies.
“For sure we are now a much bigger player in the Retail merchandising business so a team with our design and philosophy will be a big benefit going forward.”
Whatever the future holds for the team and its bike supplier, a decision has yet to be made. Rabobank’s announcement is still sending shockwaves through the sport, and any increased commitment by GIant – or any of the team’s other sponsors – will certainly not be made overnight.
“It will take a week to decide where we are going with this,” Davies concluded.