Ineos has struck an £87 million deal with Netcompany, making the IT services firm the co-title partner of the Grenadiers grand tour cycling team. The new Netcompany Ineos Cycling Team will debut at next week's Giro d'Italia in Bulgaria, marking the first time the team—formerly known as Team Sky—has had a third-party sponsor alongside Sir Jim Ratcliffe's petrochemicals company.
New Partnership Details
The deal, understood to be valued at €100 million (£87 million) over five years, brings a fresh cash injection to the team. Ratcliffe, who also owns stakes in Manchester United and the Mercedes Formula 1 team, purchased the cycling team in 2019. Early successes included wins in the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France with Tao Geoghegan Hart and Egan Bernal, but the team has experienced a steady decline in grand tour performance since.
This partnership could help the outfit rise in the rankings to regain its former glory days under Team Sky. The agreement will integrate Netcompany's artificial intelligence software, Pulse AI, into the team's operations.
Pulse AI Integration
According to Netcompany, Pulse is a "real-time AI-driven digital platform." Its CEO, Andre Rogaczewski, stated: "This partnership supports our strategic ambition to accelerate growth across Europe by demonstrating the impact of cutting-edge technology and AI at the highest level of sport."
Ineos Grenadiers' director of racing, former Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas, emphasized the benefits of the deal. "It gives us confidence in the systems and in the quality of the data and information we're working from in real time, so everyone is aligned and working off the same hymn sheet," Thomas said.
Netcompany's Existing Agreements
Netcompany already has agreements with HMRC and Heathrow Airport. It joins other major sponsors of grand tour cycling teams, including Alpecin, Decathlon, Red Bull, Emirates, and Lidl.
Grand Tour Season
The grand tour series begins next week with the Giro d'Italia in Bulgaria, followed by the Tour de France starting in Barcelona in July. The Vuelta a Espana concludes the season in August, setting off from Monaco. Thomas added: "From my side, it's about creating an environment where riders can focus fully on racing, while the team around them is connected and making the best possible decisions. If we get that balance right, it will make a real difference when it counts."
