# What will Columbia be riding on next season??



## Bry03cobra (Oct 31, 2006)

With Rabobank signing with Giant, who will Columbia be riding on next season? Usually don't see the big brands on more than one sponsers bikes. With SaxoBank rumored to be on Specialized next season, could Columbia be on Cervelos?


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## DIRT BOY (Aug 22, 2002)

Bry03cobra said:


> With Rabobank signing with Giant, who will Columbia be riding on next season? Usually don't see the big brands on more than one sponsers bikes. With SaxoBank rumored to be on Specialized next season, could Columbia be on Cervelos?


Trek or Cervelo. I would say Cervelo first.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*Specialized*

has ran 2 sponsorships in the Pro Ranks, as has Colnago, why not Giant? they have the $$$$$


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## Bry03cobra (Oct 31, 2006)

I don't know, but I would guess that SaxoBank will eat up a big chunk of the sponsorship budget. I would think the manufactures have a number to spend on sponsorship. Either sponsor a couple lesser teams, or spend your whole budget on one of the top 5 teams.


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

Bry03cobra said:


> I don't know, but I would guess that SaxoBank will eat up a big chunk of the sponsorship budget. I would think the manufactures have a number to spend on sponsorship. Either sponsor a couple lesser teams, or spend your whole budget on one of the top 5 teams.


I'd think that supplying bikes for ~25 riders would be the same cost whether the team was top five or bottom five.

JSR


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## Bry03cobra (Oct 31, 2006)

I don't think the bikes are factored in to decision. Don't they MFG's pay the top teams to use their bike? I would think that Saxo is getting a lot of cash as well as bikes from their bike sponsor. A pro conti team like RockRacing or ToyotaUnited(done after 08,no sponsor) probably doesn't get much more than bikes from Fuji or DeRosa. Does anyone know for sure??


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## danielc (Oct 24, 2002)

I don't see why Giant won't renew their contract with Columbia after such a huge success in the Tour this season.


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## jupiterrn (Sep 22, 2006)

For whatever reason, the number 4 comes to mind. Before T-Mobile pulled out in 2007 I believe Giant had just inked a 4 year deal with High Road (Columbia) to provide bikes and sponsorship. With Columbia doing as well as it is I would think Giant would keep them around and maybe add another team or 2. This is by memory so forgive me if I am incorrect.


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## Bry03cobra (Oct 31, 2006)

I read that it expires at the end of 08. I was looking for the link, can't find it now. 

There may be another company who may be in the mix. I just read on cyclingnews.com than Scott canceled its sponsorship with Team AmericanBeef. It will continue for the rest of the 08 season.


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## jupiterrn (Sep 22, 2006)

I think this link may have something in there and I believe the new contract was signed in 2007 just before T-Mobile pulled the sponsorship. 

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-AU/news/11656/


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## Bry03cobra (Oct 31, 2006)

It does say 4 years in the link you provided. I found the link stating its over at the end of 08. I can't link from my blackberry, but go to velonews. It stated this in the "Giant signs with Rabobank" story. Could Columbia's bike deal have changed when they lost T-mobile?


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## bikefool (Jan 27, 2007)

JSR said:


> I'd think that supplying bikes for ~25 riders would be the same cost whether the team was top five or bottom five.
> 
> JSR



The manufacturers also pay top tier teams (millions of euros) to ride their product. It goes beyond just the price of the equipment provided.


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

Scott is my guess, now that they pulled the plug on american beef.


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## cycleboyco (Oct 6, 2007)

*Saxo Bank definitely not continuing with Cervelo?*

I know there was another thread out there regarding this, but it never seemed like there was anything official on Saxo Bank not continuing on with Cervelo - has anyone seen anything that appears credible?

Could be reading too much into it, but it did seem strange that Giant chose specifically not to comment on its sponsorship with Columbia when it announced the Rabobank deal.

I would think Columbia could have a good competition going with Look, Scott and Colnago looking for big teams to sponsor next year.

Not sure why I find this so interesting - maybe it will tide me over until the Vuelta starts.


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## Sprocket - Matt (Sep 13, 2005)

I'll say Cervelo too, although I really wanted to respond with: "Your Mom" (j/k)


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## Dank (Nov 26, 2006)

I'm thinking Huffy, Pacific has the most money. Look at Cracknfail...


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## Mosovich (Feb 3, 2004)

*Cervelo..*

is starting their own team.. Why would Giant leave such a great team is my question..


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## Sherpa23 (Nov 5, 2001)

Mosovich said:


> is starting their own team.. Why would Giant leave such a great team is my question..


According to someone I know connected to the team, Giant is not the one leaving the team, as you say.


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## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

JSR said:


> I'd think that supplying bikes for ~25 riders would be the same cost whether the team was top five or bottom five.
> 
> JSR


Costs ALOT more then that- you have to pony up some serious cash too. And alot more the 25 bikes as well.


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

I'd be interested in any facts which can be presented as to the cost to a bike sponsor for a major team. I don't doubt that there may be cash required, over and above the delivery of the bikes (road, TT, and CX in some cases) and technical consultation.

OTOH, we know that typical annual budgets for top teams are in the neighborhood of $10-
$15M euros. Name sponsors (Astana, Saxo Bank, QuickStep, etc.) are probably putting up at least $5M. "Presented by" sponsors must be putting up, I dunno, $3M? There are usually several other sponsors for each team.

That doesn't leave much room for a bike sponsor to be required to contribute cash, in addition to the other benefits they provide.

Just sayin', I don't think their cash outlay is in the millions. Maybe I'm wrong.

JSR


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## Sherpa23 (Nov 5, 2001)

JSR said:


> I'd be interested in any facts which can be presented as to the cost to a bike sponsor for a major team. I don't doubt that there may be cash required, over and above the delivery of the bikes (road, TT, and CX in some cases) and technical consultation.
> 
> OTOH, we know that typical annual budgets for top teams are in the neighborhood of $10-
> $15M euros. Name sponsors (Astana, Saxo Bank, QuickStep, etc.) are probably putting up at least $5M. "Presented by" sponsors must be putting up, I dunno, $3M? There are usually several other sponsors for each team.
> ...


The last time that I was consulted on a deal for a bike manufacturer to sponsor/supply a ProTour team, the number of bikes was 127 bikes, not including special builds (like a couple super light climbing frames for the Tour, or a new beefy sprinter's frame for Worlds, etc.) and the usual fee is a million euros. I also know first hand that the team was willing to waive the fee because they really wanted that particular manufacturers bikes. That, the team said, was the only time they ever offered to do that. Maybe they were full of it but I think that they were telling the truth, especially given what's going on now.

So do they need the money? Maybe not, but if they don't care that much about the bikes and they could get more money to advertise the bikes, why wouldn't they. A cycling team is not a non-profit. It's a business.


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

That makes perfect sense, Sherpa. Bikes plus a negotiable fee, ranging from zero to 1M euros.

JSR


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## TedH (Jan 1, 1970)

JSR said:


> That makes perfect sense, Sherpa. Bikes plus a negotiable fee, ranging from zero to 1M euros.
> 
> JSR


I spoke to the Mavic guys at MTB nationals the day after the Ricco stuff hit, and they were really upset because they paid "a substantial" cash fee well beyond a bunch of wheels. Don't know if Mavic hits 7 figures, but it sounded like upper 5 figures for Saunier Duval.


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## Sherpa23 (Nov 5, 2001)

TedH said:


> I spoke to the Mavic guys at MTB nationals the day after the Ricco stuff hit, and they were really upset because they paid "a substantial" cash fee well beyond a bunch of wheels. Don't know if Mavic hits 7 figures, but it sounded like upper 5 figures for Saunier Duval.


In 1999, Lance and George Hincapie were supposed to ride some LEW rims built into Rolf wheels for the Tour. IIRC they had used them in Dauphine and were all about them. Lance won the prologue (or something like that, it's been a while) and Mavic offered him and the team (some combination of the two) a significant cash premium to ride then-new Kysriums for the Tour.

Mavic pays. It's a super competitive market and high end wheels just aren't that different in terms of performance (durability is something else altogether, though).


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## Martin dk (Sep 1, 2005)

the last thing i have heard is 3,5 million euro's to be Saxo Bank's new bike sponsor!!

That figure has been mentioned on a danish cycling website.

regards Martin


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

JSR said:


> That makes perfect sense, Sherpa. Bikes plus a negotiable fee, ranging from zero to 1M euros.
> 
> JSR


 No Pro or pro continental team rides for free. 1m used to be fairly standard but from what I'm hearing that's a bargain these days. Teams like CSC, Astana, or Columbia are commanding much higher fees above and beyond the equipment itself and these companies are supplying frames only, the groups, wheels, etc. are all separate deals now (look to Toyota United's Fuji/Bontrager equipment). Money is part of the deal with all pro sponsorships these days.


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## teffisk (Mar 24, 2006)

THE ANSWER: On scott's website with the '09 bikes it the new "equipment for Team Columbia."


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

good call, nitro.


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## El Guapo (Dec 10, 2002)

*We have a WINNER! Scott is now supplying Columbia*



iliveonnitro said:


> Scott is my guess, now that they pulled the plug on american beef.


Just announced on cyclingnews.com that Scott is the new supplier for Columbia.


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## Bry03cobra (Oct 31, 2006)

iliveonnitro said:


> Scott is my guess, now that they pulled the plug on american beef.


Nice call.

Let's keep it going, who will Silence-Lotto be on next year?


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## haydos (Sep 17, 2007)

Museuww is the fav for Silence Lotto now. Look are also in the running...

It would be good to see Merckx being ridden in the protour again though...

I believe Canyon are looking for a team too.


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

Here's the word on Katusha's bike sponsor with some info on what it costs a bike maker to sponsor a team these days:

http://www.velonews.com/article/82713/ridley-signs-deal-with-katusha


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## peter1 (Apr 10, 2002)

davidka said:


> Here's the word on Katusha's bike sponsor with some info on what it costs a bike maker to sponsor a team these days:
> 
> http://www.velonews.com/article/82713/ridley-signs-deal-with-katusha


If I'm reading that right, it's 10m euros a year for 3 years. Didn't know Ridley was that big.


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