JLT Group to sponsor Rapha Condor

The Rapha Condor team today confirmed the JLT Group, an international group of risk specialists and employee benefits consultants, as its new co-sponsor for the 2013 season.

Now it its sixth season in the sport, the team says its partnership with JLT will underline its significant commitment to developing young British talent.

The first meetings between the team management and JLT took place when Charlie Pearch, a senior partner at the company, saw the opportunity for the company to sponsor the squad.

Pearch said: ‘‘Our participation in this venture with Rapha Condor fulfills our desire to help sport at grass roots level, particularly where our involvement can deliver meaningful value. We not only want to encourage the younger generation to live a healthy lifestyle but to be a voice of mutual respect between all road users.

"Our expectation is that the Rapha Condor JLT team will continue to perform well under the most respected of Directeur Sportifs but it is as important for us that the team races with style and panache and in its own well-loved and inimitable style to represent the very best of British cycling."

Rapha Condor JLT jersey for 2013

Team manager John Herety added: "I am delighted that JLT share our enthusiasm about the way that this team aims to work with young riders."

Rapha CEO Simon Mottram commented: "After a successful season with the team it is wonderful to have attracted another global company to cycling and to help us continue our journey developing younger riders."

Today's announcement follows the end of a three-and a-half-year partnership between the team and Sharp. The electronical goods company has stepped up its commitment to cycling sponsorship by backing the WorldTour Garmin-Sharp squad.

Sharp invested in documenting the team's 2012 strategy through the Inside-Out project, which documented the development of the young Rapha Condor Sharp riders. Written by former rider Tom Southam with pictures from Camille McMillan, it can be viewed online www.inside-out.tv and is now available in a print edition from www.sharpdirect.co.uk.