Goodbye Project 1t4i, hello Team Argos-Shimano

The Dutch Project 1t4i squad has announced a new lead sponsor and a new name - Team Argos-Shimano.

Argos North Sea Group, a mineral oil and energy company, has inked a three-year deal to sponsor the Professional Continental-level squad. Argos's headquarters are in Rotterdam.

Component manufacturer resumes its position as secondary sponsor - the team rode as Skil-Shimano up to the end of the 2011 season.

Peter Goedvolk, CEO of Argos North Sea Group, said: "I am convinced that sponsoring this talented and ambitious cycling team is the best way to draw European consumers' attention to the Argos brand and thereby realize our growth ambitions better and quicker." 

German sprinting talent Marcel Kittel is currently the team's hottest property, having won two stages of the Tour of Oman, a stage of Etoile de Bessèges and a stage of the Three Days of De Panne so far this season. Kittel said earlier this week that he is aiming for stage wins at the Tour de France, should the team receive a wildcard invite.

Argos-Shimano's next race in the Tour of Flanders on Sunday.

The team are currently in eighth spot in the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) EuropeTour rankings for 2012. Last year, Skil-Shimano finished the season second overall behind FDJ.

The women's team will be known as Team Skil-Argos.

Team Argos-Shimano 2012 roster

Thomas Bonnin

Regina Bruins

Roy Curvers

Thomas Damuseau

Bert De Backer

Suzanne de Goede

Koen de Kort

Anne de Wildt

John Degenkolb

Yukihiro Doi

Tom Dumoulin

Johannes Fröhlinger

Alexandre Geniez

Simon Geschke

Patrick Gretsch

Yann Huguet

Thierry Hupond

Cheng Ji

Janneke Kanis

Marcel Kittel

Dominic Klemme

Roger Kluge

Tobias Ludvigsson

Kelly Markus

Amy Pieters

Ramon Sinkeldam

Matthieu Sprick

Tom Stamsnijder

Albert Timmer

Esra Tromp

Monique van de Ree

Linda van Rijen

Ronan van Zandbeek

Tom Veelers

Adrie Visser

Related links

Kittel: Today De Panne, tomorrow Champs Elysees

Tour of Flanders 2012: The Big Preview