The annual look at pro team sponsors and what they do.UAE Team Emirates-XRGPresented in order of team numbers at the Tour, this team is also the richest and backed by United Arab Emirates, the petrostate that includes the cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Emirates is also the name of the state airline and the team uses its logo. XRG is a gas and chemicals company, a subsidiary of ADNOC, the state oil company majority owned the ruling family, again a blend of state and royalty.A lot of the other sponsors on the kit like G42 and Colnago have links to Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the sunglass-sporting prince also known as TBZ. Keen on sports, especially martial arts but known to cycle too, he is a corporate kingpin. He is also the deputy ruler and the countrys spy chief and and so has a role in the countrys interests, for example Reuters reported last month he hosted the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in a bid to get them to stop targeting the UAE. The UAE is also linked to support of the RSF militia in Sudan but also profits from the other side of the conflict via mining and refining. Nobody in cycling seems bothered by all this but given the UAE denies a role in the Sudanese conflict it is not something the team is going to discuss.Visma-Lease A BikeVisma does cloud-based accounting, invoice and payroll software. It started sponsoring the team because it provided these services to Dutch supermarket Jumbo, the teams previous sponsor and a connection was made. Its a Norwegian company owned by private equity but has been preparing to float on the London Stock Exchange. With this change coming its also stepping down as the team title sponsor and while it plans to remain as a co-sponsor among several others this means a looming financial gap for the team which has yet announce a replacement.Lease-a-Bike is a small venture owned by PON, a Dutch conglomerate that also owns Cervlo and other bike brands. The idea is a service to offer companies where bikes can be leased to employees.The silent sponsor is Robert Van der Wallen, a Dutch billionaire who part-owns the team and puts some of his money into the project. If the team cant find a replacement for Visma hes on the hook to keep the wheels turning.Red Bull-Bora-hanshgroheAustrian soft drinks maker Red Bull is sponsor and owner and behind the big expansion of the teams budget to hire Remco Evenepoel. The drinks activity almost feels incidental sometimes with Red Bull more famous for extreme sports and marketing stunts but it sold almost 14 billion drinks cans last year, up 10% on the previous year. This explains why even if a tiny proportion are hurled out of car windows they are so visible beside the road.Bora make kitchen cookers and extractor fans with the selling point that the fan is mounted beside the cooker to suck fumes away and so gets rid of the need to have a large unit above although how effective this can be against rising columns of steam and smoke is an open question. Hansgrohe makes bathroom and kitchen equipment like mixers and showerheads and is separate from arch rival Grohe, the plumbing version of Adidas and Puma.Lidl-TrekLidl is an disruptive German discount supermarket which has been expanding in Europe and now the US in recent years and grabbed significant market share. It might be one of the easiest sponsors to find locally or consume. Its no longer just a sponsor as the company bought the team and this explains why they ride under a German flag and why theres been recent management clear-out as the owners want results for the millions theyre pouring in.Theres a paradox as the company is laser-focussed on cost savings and margins for its retail business and has traditionally had low frills marketing chicken, 89 cents but now on the hook to spend tens of millions on an ambitious cycling team. But the sports demographic is a good one and it used for rallying the staff too. Trek as co-sponsor means a rare factory team, a bike company with its name in the lights as a title sponsor.EF Education-EasypostEF Education is language and study-abroad business that was started in Sweden and now HQd in Switzerland. EF Education First sounds like a pleonasm but loyal readers will know the initials EF actually stand for Europeiska Ferieskolan, Swedish for European Holiday Schools because this is what the founder Bertil Hult named his venture. One detail is that the corporate branding isnt pink, this is the teams choice to be more visible. The Hult family have taken an active role in the team but the team has announced it is looking for a new title sponsorship with EF likely to remain on board if they can find a new backer; the unsaid thing is what happens if this search proves fruitless.Easypost is an e-commerce platform to help ship small goods and packets, offering software to embed in websites and help chose the best courier service. Confusingly across Europe theres a company with the same name offering corporate mail shots.Decathlon-CMA CGMDecathlon is a French sporting and outdoor goods retailer that is expanding worldwide and doing big business from India to South America so while this is a French team it has global ambitions. It has an in-house bike brand Van Rysel which hints at the companys origins in Northern France, van Rysel meaning from Lille in Dutch. The company started out selling from out-of-town boxes but to keep sales growth up has a big online presence and is opening smaller stores in cities, airports and rail stations. Its owned by the billionaire Mulliez family which also own Auchan supermarkets, Tour sponsor Norauto garages, Leroy-Merlin DIY stores and more.Just over a year ago LOral dropped out of talks with team and they must be kicking themselves. Like Visma became a sponsor because it worked for Jumbo, shipping and logistics giant CMA CGM had a connection to Decathlon as it handles the shipping of their goods many of which are made in China to markets around the world. The Compagnie Maritime dAffrtement Compagnie Gnrale Maritime (Maritime Freighting Company General Maritime Company) is the second biggest container shipping company in the world. It is controlled by Rodolphe Saad, a Franco-Lebanese billionaire who is becoming increasingly visible in France, in part because he owns the BFM TV channel and RMC Radio and not long ago newspaper Le Monde, in a detailed series on the company, said Saad was interested in buying LEquipe and also the Tour de France, something denied recently but worth watching out for. With two multi-national sponsors controlled by French billionaires, as team manager Dominique Serieys has said, if Paul Seixas leaves the team it wont be for the money.XDS-AstanaThe Kazakh team now with headline sponsorship from XDS, a Chinese bike brand from Shenzhen, notable after the trend of bike companies leaving title sponsorship with only Trek left until now. XDS, short for Xidesheng (, where the characters can mean happiness, virtue and abundant) wants to become Chinas version of Giant, a big player in the entire cycle industry from team-issue bikes to kids accessories and all in between. Like many Chinese brands it started out as an OEM business, making bikes for other companies and it still does this and could well be the worlds largest producer of carbon frames. It has a premium brand in X-Lab and now designs, markets and runs its own sales channels given the higher margins here, a vertical tale being replicated across the Chinese economy from TVs to the auto sector.The Kazakh part is Samruk, the national sovereign wealth fund and state operator of Air Astana, Kazpost, uranium miner Kazatomprom and other national companies from construction to oil.Bahrain VictoriousAn obvious one, this is the oil-rich island in the Middle East and various names on the jersey come from related industries like Bapco, the national oil firm. The key man behind the team is Sheikh Nasser, pictured, a sports-mad prince from the ruling family with business interests and the spy chief brief for the kingdom, much like his counterpart TBZ in the UAE.The Victorious label is the brand of the kingdom, as seen on French and Spanish football jerseys. It is also code for your name here as the team might be sponsored by a wealthy nation state but theres no unlimited credit and they are searching for a co-sponsor. Theres often gossip about a new sponsor being unveiled soon but its like the sign in the barbers window that reads free shave tomorrow.Netcompany-IneosNetcompany is the newest title sponsor in the sport, the Danish IT company joined the team in May. It has grown by acquisition and operates in various industries from banking to the Danish education system, plus it supplies a platform that monitors the flow of passengers, luggage and other goods for Copenhagen and Londons Heathrow airport and is trying to position itself as a European AI venture.Ineos is the petrochemical business of James Ratcliffe, the British billionaire with a keen interest in sport but rising energy prices and interest rates have put the squeeze on the companys marketing budget and seen it backing out of several sports. It remains in cycling for now which Ratcliffe enjoys. The silent sponsor is TotalEnergies, the French oil major that has some joint-ventures with Ineos, and is pulling out of title sponsor of the eponymous second-division French team so well see if it becomes a title sponsor or not next year alongside Netcompany.Soudal Quick-StepSoudal makes adhesives and other chemical products for construction and DIY. Founded and owned by Belgiums Vic Swerts, its a global business with big sales from Europe to India. Sponsorship is fun for Swerts who takes a keen interest in sport and can give clients and suppliers VIP moments; he pulled his backing of the Lotto team to join Quick-Step because he wanted to be involved with Remco Evenepoels rise.Quick-Step makes laminated flooring. It seems as Belgian as waffles but is a US company owned by Mohawk. Its enduring, many just call the team Quick Step. Both sponsors can work together, you can lay down Quick-Step flooring and then finish with skirting glued with Soudal. Sans Evenepoel the team now refocussing on its heritage of one-day classics and bunch sprints, look out for Tim Merlier in the coming days and Paul Magnier in the coming years.Alpecin-PremierTechAlpecin is a shampoo brand from Germany with caffeine in it (reviewed on this blog) with claims this stimulates the scalp to prevent hair loss. Normally a consumer-facing product but the shampoo isnt easy to find in several European markets, seemingly freely for sale in the UK but unobtainable in French or Italian supermarkets and pharmacies but it is sold online.PremierTech is a Canadian horticulture company that started out selling peat in Canada and now sells fertiliser for farmers, including an expanding franchise in France and Europe. The tech angle sees it supplying automation for farms from seeding soil to automatically bagging and packing produce. It was co-sponsor to the Israel team last year but switched at the last minute to back the Belgian team and if this move didnt rescue the team it has given it a more stable footing.Team Jayco-Al UlaJayco is an Australian joint-venture making caravans and RVs but its really a front for Gerry Ryan, founder of the business who has become a billionaire and likes to spend this on sports. He has been a big benefactor of Australian sport and a patient supporter of the team, a sugar daddy putting millions into the squad of men and women but this could be ending soon. Like several other team sponsors he has to pay more every year to keep up with inflating team budgets, only to get fewer results as big teams increasingly dominate.Al Ula is a Saudi tourist project designed to bring tourism, including cyclists, to the town of Al Ula, the place that also hosts the Saudi Tour bike race in February.Uno-X MobilityA Norwegian retailer, a chain of service and charging stations, useful in Norway which has Europes highest rate of electric car use. Other names on the kit include Reitan and Rema-1000. And its Reitan that is a Norwegian conglomerate that has business in Denmark too that owns Uno-X and also runs the 7-Eleven franchise in Norway. One paradox is the more Jonas Vingegaard wins, the more Danes tune in and so this team gets more exposure.The mens team is made up of Danes and Norwegians only; a unique proposition in the sport and a tricky one because it limits the pool of talent available and creates an asymmetry where a Norwegian or Danish talent could take their pick from any squad in the World Tour but this team has to bid for them. Theyve partially solved this by a serious, international performance staff with the idea of trying get the very best out of their riders. Torsten Tren is a case in point, able to come home but also deliver.NSN CyclingThe rebranded Israel-Premiertech team. The squad attracted protests, particularly at the Vuelta last year and could not go on. In came NSN, a Catalan marketing agency and backing from private banking in Switzerland it is Swiss registered but has no Swiss riders but with some links to Sylvan Adams and others behind the IPT team. NSN is meant to be Never Say Never but also Your Name Here as the agency would like to operate the team on behalf of a paying title sponsor. Theres the potential to create an identity here from a blank canvas and not be Team Widget-Soap or Sportswashing-4-U, a project where sponsors feature on the jersey and are part of the project but the team retains its own identity. So far this doesnt feel that strong; not at the Tour but the Unibet Rose Rockets seem stronger at this but it can take time to build this project.MovistarMovistar is mobile telecoms operator that belongs to Spains Telefonica, it is a brand in Spain and Latin America. It is the oldest team here with a direct lineage going back to 1980. The company has a deal until 2028 and is making noises about leaving now so the search is on for a replacement; just as its been trying to find a co-sponsor for years.Since last year it has a new backer in EPS (Eastern Pacific Shipping, from Singapore) and its parent company Quantum Pacific, both involved in shipping and logistics. Quantum has bought 43% of Abarca Sports, the entity behind the Movistar team this gives the team more finances but so far its a quiet takeover. One thing to attract new Spanish sponsors is the arrival of Paula Blasi at the womens team, a huge talent already and set for stage-racing success but can she lure in sufficient sponsorship to keep the mens team on the road? They need this and have missed out on a lot of Spanish talent in the junior ranks with the likes of Adria Pericas, Pablo Torres, Hector Alvarez and Benjamin Noval being snapped up by UAE, Lidl-Trek and Ineos.Lotto-Intermarch The result of a merger between the Lotto and Intermarch-Wanty teams over the winter. Cycling team mergers are never 1+1=2, theyre rescue deals. As this blog kept pointing out the Intermarch team was on the edge of financial collapse and ran out of road last year. Lotto is the Belgian state lottery and an institution in Belgium which makes it the second oldest team in the sport going back to the mid-1980s. It faces a similar bind to Uno-X in having to recruit Belgian riders, including a blend of Flemish and Walloon riders, but these riders are free to sign for any team they want.Intermarch is a French supermarket that also in several other European countries. It has an unusual model with stores as franchises that buy supplies from the parent company and, while it might sell produce from Coca Cola, Danone or Heinz, it is a big producer in its own right. For example it runs Frances largest fishing fleet. The original cycling deal saw the Belgian subsidiary as sponsor but now the Breton HQ is more involved and the team hiring more French riders next year like Breton Valentin Madouas and theyve just extended Breton Baptiste Veisstroffers contract.CofidisCofidis is a consumer credit company, think emergency loans with interest rates steeper than the Mur de Huy rather than home loans. Its part of the big Crdit Mutuel group and has been the exclusive title sponsor of the team since 1997 and had ups and downs from super team to doping scandals which puts todays down of recent relegation from the World Tour in context. Its not flashy but thats the point, the team are out to connect with a demographic who might suddenly need cash, the struggler or battler narrative suits them well. Its a French team but the firm operates in many European countries which explains why it has a riders from Spain, Poland, Slovakia and more, and is a Vuelta race sponsor too.Pinarello-Q36.5Pinarello is the high end bicycle frame company from Treviso. Q36.5 is a cycle clothing company from Switzerland with the idea of trying to maintain a body temperature of 36.5C which makes you wonder if riders on the team are permitted to say they overheated on a hot day or were shivering on a cold day; its relatively easy to say in English but the native Italian of Pinarello Kuu Trenta Sei Punta Cinque takes up a lot of syllables during a live broadcast. Swiss banking giant UBS is notable on the kit and is a founding partner of the team too.Its not quite the return of a factory team and more fantasy team made real as Pinarello and Q36.5 are now controlled by Ivan Glasenberg, a South African billionaire who made his fortune with Glencore, the commodity trading company that has been a big deal maker in the world of coal. A convert to cycling in Switzerland, Glasenberg didnt just buy a Pinarello to ride, he bought the company and is now having fun running a cycling team. He is apparently interested in yet another attempt by team owners to reform the sport after several initiatives from the Gifted Group to One Cycling have flopped after making the same mistakes.Groupama-FDJ UnitedA 50-50 joint venture owned by the two title sponsors. Groupama is a giant mutual insurance company whose rural logo hints at the original name of Groupe des Assurances Mutuelles Agricoles, Groupe AMA Groupama.FDJ used to be La Franaise des Jeux its the French national lottery and now a privatised company that wants to run more lotteries and expanding into gambling across Europe and currently the second biggest gambling company in Europe after it took over Unibet. It has rebranded in English as FDJ United to evoke several brands under one umbrella.The team feels like an institution, Groupamas corporate colour is green but as they get to go first on the team name theyve accepted the blue and red kit of the French flag. The team was founded by Marc Madiot who has stepped down over winter to be replaced by Thierry Cornec but still has an honorary role with the team. The squad is totally separate from womens team FDJ United-Suez and could probably learn from this team.Tudor Pro CyclingTudor is a Swiss watch brand owned by the same company as Rolex. Tudor is positioned as more affordable and more active. Sales can rise and fall like the profile of a Tour mountain stage depending on Asian GDP growth rates or US tariffs but remain healthy and generate wide margins which helps fund the cycling team, a core part of the companys marketing plans.The team is a ProTeam, the UCIs confusing label for a second tier squad but it has a WorldTeam-like roster and building a dedicated HQ and signing new riders including Arnaud De Lie for 2027.Team TotalEnergiesThe paradox of one of the smallest teams in the race but backed by one of the biggest companies, oil major TotalEnergies. The French company covers does oil and gas from exploration, extraction, pipelines, shipping, refinery, chemicals and retail forecourts. It got into cycling by accident when it acquired Direct Energie, an alternative electricity supplier in France and found it was sponsoring a cycling team. Its kept it to help with the rebranding from Total to TotalEnergies. The title sponsor is pulling out and the team is still searching for a replacement and time is running out, it could revert to being an amateur or U23 only team like it once was before 1999 when it entered the pro peloton.Team Picnic-PostNLPicnic is a Dutch food retailer start-up that does home delivery, an online grocer and supermarket that is now expanding into France. PostNL is the Dutch postal service that also operates in other markets for parcel and mail services. The team narrowly avoided relegation from the World Tour last year but has struggled this season with only one win and has the least amount of UCI ranking points of all the teams in the Tour this season, indeed its on half the score of Caja Rural and with results like these retaining sponsorship is only harder.Caja Rural-Seguros RGAA caja is a savings bank in Spain and as the name and as its sheaf of wheat logo suggests, this is a bank that serves rural Spain, especially agriculture. To keep things simple its more than one bank, a collective of regional branches like the Caja Rural of Asturias, the Caja Rural of Navarra and so on, all mutually owned and in total servicing 6.5 million customers. The bank has sponsored a cycling team before in the 1980s with the likes of Mauro Lejaretta Stage 3 rode through his home town but that was a different outfit that stopped. Seguros RGA is part of the same group but the insurance brand.The post Pro Team Sponsors Explained first appeared on The Inner Ring.