Tuesday, 19 March 2024
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Sky pulls back from cycling after a decade of elite success

In news that some pundits will take to mean the cycle bubble has truly burst, Sky is to end its involvement in cycling after a decade of support.

Funding will cease after the 2019 road racing season and the team could continue to race under a different name if a new backer is secured to fund the team from the start of 2020.

It was under Team Sky that Brits got their first ever winner of the Tour de France, Sir Bradley Wiggins in 2012, and overall the team saw major successes in major races, with 322 all time wins (including eight Grand Tours, 52 stage races and 25 one-day races).

Sky joined forces with British Cycling in 2008 intended to boost participation at all levels, as well as elite road racing. By 2016, nearly two million people had been inspired to cycle regularly, according to the stats from Sky.

21st Century Fox, which owns a minority stake in Team Sky, has also confirmed 2019 will be its last year involved in cycling.