EF Education First will be joining the American second division women's team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank as a co-title sponsor in 2022 as yet another male team sponsor joins the women's pro peloton.
Tibco-SVB is the longest running North American women's team with former investment banker turned pro bike racer Linda Jackson joining her local team in Palo Alto, California in 2004. Two years later she asked one of the sponsors for $100,000 but was offered $5,000, which she took.
Since then over the years the team has grown and grown as they looked to invest in developing new talent in North America. Tibco-SVB has since won races in the WorldTour, National Championships and numerous other domestic titles along the way.
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Now, the team will be joining the WorldTour with EF Education First as a key co-title sponsor for the squad as EF Education-Tibco-SVB. All the riders will be paid the minimum salary that male WorldTour riders get.
Global chief of staff at EF, Maria Norrman, said: "We’re excited to be part of this team and to help these amazing riders reach their goals. The salary component is incredibly important to all of us, because it allows the riders to pursue the sport full-time,
"We can’t wait to help add the next chapter in this team’s great history."
Jackson sees this new sponsor as a huge opportunity, not just for her team but for women's cycling as a whole.
"I’m thrilled to be a part of the professionalization of women’s cycling. The opportunity these women have now is amazing," said Jackson.
"I’ve been in the sport for 30 years; I raced in the ‘90s in horrendous conditions and with very little support. It’s been a long road, but to see money finally coming into the sport so that women can make a living while racing their bikes is a very gratifying feeling,
"The sporting goal of this team is to be a top five WorldTour team in a few years. We don’t need to be the number one team in the world. That’s not my objective. My objective is to help these women reach their potential.
“To become Olympians, world champions, World Championship participants, whatever their goals are. EF’s partnership has enabled us to bring on top-tier staff to provide our riders with the infrastructure and support they need to achieve these goals in a supportive environment."
Cannondale, who is already the bike brand of the team, has continued its support with the American brand also supplying the bikes for the men's EF Education-Nippo team.
Alongside them other sponsors from the men's team will come over including Rapha, which becomes the new clothing brand, while POC willl supply helmets. Health & fitness coaching appliance Whoop will also join as a sponsor.
In 2022 the team will be made up of 13 riders from six different nations including seven new signings. Two of those riders are making a return to the team, with the full roster being announced soon.
EF join the likes of other team sponsors such as Trek-Segafredo, Movistar, Jumbo-Visma, UAE Team Emirates, Cofidis, Uno-X, FDJ, DSM, BikeExchange, Lotto-Soudal, Rally, and many others besides as the women's side of the sport continues to grow.
