Yesterday evening it was announced that BMC Switzerland will continue its sponsorship of Team BMC Racing through the 2016 season.

BMC Racing Team President/General Manager Jim Ochowicz said the extension will allow the U.S.-registered ProTeam to continue its development and vision. "We are fortunate to have a partner like BMC Switzerland, which permits us to participate at the highest level of the sport," Ochowicz said. "We have enjoyed a terrific partnership and plan to continue to provide BMC Switzerland with a viable outlet to test and showcase its bicycles in all of the world's greatest races."

Founded in 2006, Team BMC Racing has undergone a tremendous metamorphosis from its birth as a small team, which did not attract much attention from fans and media and to one of the world's most popular teams, which not only has a very large legion of loyal fans, but which has also succeeded at engaging star riders such as Tour de France winner Cadel Evans, former World Champions Thor Hushovd and Alessandro Ballan, and Philippe Gilbert as part of their team roster.

BMC owner Andy Rihs finds the partnership between BMC Switzerland and Team BMC Racing to be a perfect match.

"Our best marketing strategy is to have the best cycling team in the world," Rihs told Roadcycling.com. "I always say we are not doing it out of fun, but we have a lot of fun doing it. It's mandatory if you want to be a big, growing brand in the cycling world."

According to BMC Switzerland's CEO Thomas Binggeli his company has several objectives with the extended team sponsorship.

"We want to have a positive image transfer from the success of the BMC Racing Team to the bicycle brand BMC," Binggeli told Roadcycling.com and added "We also want to grow awareness of the BMC brand so it's known worldwide as a Swiss bicycle manufacturing company. Additionally, we want to profit from the knowledge and experience we gain from the world's best athletes, this enabling us to build the best bicycle of the world."

The extension of the team sponsorship is of a duration which is relatively long compared to what is common in the road cycling team industry. The longer duration is likely to provide the team with an advantage when negotiating contract extensions with its current riders and in the process of attracting new riders to the team. Additionally, it may also have positive effects on staff recruitment and retention.