Team Sky's open letter to fans as main backer announces sponsorship will end

Team Sky have published an open letter thanking fans after their main backer announced it would be pulling out at the end of 2019.

Next year will be Team Sky’s final year under their current name, as parent company Sky announced on Wednesday it would end its ownership of the team.

Teams bosses are hoping a new backer can be found in the coming year, allowing the team to continue under a new name.

The letter from Team Sky, published on Wednesday morning shortly after they announced the news, said: “This news will no doubt come as a surprise to many people but, as you may know, there has been a lot of change at Sky recently.

“It is the start of a new chapter for the company and sometimes it is inevitable that change brings further change with that.

“That is what happened here.

“First things first, nothing changes for next year. Sky are fully committed to the end of 2019 and together we have ambitious goals for the season.

“We all want to close the Team Sky story with the strongest possible finish.

“We are more motivated as a team than we have ever been.”

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Team Sky took to the road in 2010 with the clear goal of putting the first Brit on the top step of the Tour de France.

It was two years before Sir Bradley Wiggins realised that dream.

The leadership was taken over by Chris Froome, who continues to dominate Grand Tours, most recently winning a fourth Tour in 2017, followed by the Vuelta a España last year and the Giro d’Italia in 2018.

Geraint Thomas is the latest Team Sky success story when he became the first Welshman to win the Tour this year.

Team Sky added: “In terms of the future, we are open minded. If we can find a new long-term partner to take the Team forward into a new era, then we will do so.

“And we will be doing everything we can to make that happen over the coming weeks and months.

“Equally, any future partner would have to be the right partner - one who shares our ethos and buys in to our values.

“This news has only just been announced; we can’t predict what will happen from 2020 and there are no guarantees.

“Whatever happens, we will make sure there is clarity one way or the other about the future of the Team before the Tour de France next July.

“Finally, a big thank you to all of our fans. You are, and have always been, the people who are the most important to us and who matter the most. It has been our privilege to race for you. We are proud to have written our pages in the history books and created memories that will never fade.”

Full open letter from Team Sky to fans

This news will no doubt come a surprise to many people but, as you may know, there has been a lot of change at Sky recently. It is the start of a new chapter for the company and sometimes it is inevitable that change brings further change with it. That is what has happened here. 

Over the past nine seasons, Sky has backed us all the way, enabling us to achieve some amazing results and inspire millions of people to love our sport. We’d like to thank Sky for all of their support, and in particular the opportunity to help Britain become a cycling nation. 

First things first, nothing changes for next year. Sky are fully committed to the end of 2019 and together we have ambitious goals for the season. We all want to close the Team Sky story with the strongest possible finish. We are more motivated as a Team than we have ever been. 

In terms of the future, we are open minded. If we can find a new long-term partner to take the Team forward into a new era, then we will do so. And we will be doing everything we can to make that happen over the coming weeks and months. Equally, any future partner would have to be the right partner - one who shares our ethos and buys in to our values. 

This news has only just been announced; we can’t predict what will happen from 2020 and there are no guarantees. Whatever happens, we will make sure there is clarity one way or the other about the future of the Team before the Tour de France next July.  

Finally, a big thank you to all of our fans. You are, and have always been, the people who are the most important to us and who matter the most. It has been our privilege to race for you. We are proud to have written our pages in the history books and created memories that will never fade. 

And rest assured we are not done yet by any means. Right now, the Team is at training camp putting in the hard work to get ready for next season. We can’t wait to see you all out on the road in the New Year.