According to the Guardian, the recently-confirmed backing of RadioShack by Trek bicycles will result in a $3.75m (£2.31m) sponsorship deal, and sees the company aiming to win its tenth Tour in twelve years.
The new ProTour squad had a get together this month in Tucson, Arizona, and was fitted out with the 2010 Trek Madone bikes. The riders will receive the Prototype 2011 Speed Concept time trial bikes before the Tour Down Under in January.
“We are excited to fuel the success of our friends at Team RadioShack by providing the most technologically advanced bicycles and components in the world,” said Dean Gore, Trek’s director of marketing.
“Our sponsorship of professional athletes has consistently pushed Trek to innovate and produce products which perform at the absolute highest level, and we look forward to continuing these fruitful relationships.”
Trek’s backing of the new team will be part of its tactic to try to limit any gains by arch rivals Specialized, Cervélo and BMC. All three of these have considerably increased their backing of the sport, with Alberto Contador, Carlos Sastre and Cadel Evans their respective representatives for 2010.