Trek Factory Racing becomes Trek-Segafredo as three year sponsorship deal announced

Having spoken earlier this year about the need to bring a secondary sponsor on board, the Trek Factory Racing team has achieved that goal and will be in a stronger position as a result.

Italian coffee brand Segafredo has inked a three year deal with the team, starting 2016, and will increase the budget for the American WorldTour squad.

Team manager Luca Guercilena is clear as to the benefits of that. “The partnership with Segafredo is wonderful news. Since the start of the team two years ago our performance and recruitment plan has revolved around long-term thinking.

“With Segafredo we have found a partner that shares the same values. The importance of this deal and the security it offers will allow us to invest even more in the roster that we have and develop young riders.”

The increased budget should also enable the team to chase new signings. Fabian Cancellara is almost certainly heading into his final season and this too will free up funds for 2017 and beyond.

The 2014 Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali is known to be one who is of interest to the team and with Segafredo an Italian brand, his desired signing seems an understandable one.

According to the team, the new sponsorship will allow Trek-Segafredo to “grow into what was envisioned from the outset.”

The new deal was presented in Treviso, Italy. Segafredo Zanetti is owned by the Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group and its president, Massimo Zanetti, explained why the company chose cycling.

“When I was a child, my father took me to a Giro d’Italia stage. I saw Coppi and Bartali; Coppi with the pink jersey, Bartali with the tricolour jersey of the Italian champion. I was so impressed and fascinated that, from that time on, I always said to myself that sooner or later I would sponsor cycling.

“I really hope we are going to achieve important successes once again as often happened in the past in other sports such as Formula 1, where Segafredo became three times world champion with Rosberg, Lauda and Prost, not to mention the great friend Ayrton Senna who drove his F1 car for a long time with Segafredo on board.”

Cancellara also attended the presentation, as did the team’s current Tour de France leader Bauke Mollema and the Italian sprinter Giacomo Nizzolo. They will be part of the team’s push for success in 2016, as will riders such as Peter Stetina, Frank Schleck, Ryder Hesjedal and Kiel Reijnen.