Team Garmin-Sharp Unveils 2014 Jersey; Announces Alliance with WWF
The 2014 Team Garmin-Sharp jersey, which includes the iconic WWF panda logo, will be raced for the first time at the Tour Down Under in Australia in January. Castelli continues its support of Garmin-Sharp and is continuing its effort to make sure the team has the best clothing for the whole season, from the cold spring classics to the heat of the Tour de France come July. The 2014 team kit retains the distinctive argyle while getting a refreshing new look to the back that will make the riders more visible from the helicopter shots watched by race viewers around the world.
According to Andrea Peron, Castelli's race performance director, "It's not just design updates. The close partnership we have with Garmin-Sharp's Robby Ketchell, has led to improvements in aerodynamics and body temperature management in numerous models across the line, as well as 5 new models that we will be testing in 2014 to make sure the riders have the best possible clothing for every condition."
"We're happy that our partnership with Team Garmin-Sharp leads to real innovation for the professionals that we can then bring into our Castelli collection and our Servizio Corse custom team products. Based on our partnership with the team, every cyclist can benefit from the feedback we get from the pros," Steve Smith, Brand Manager at Castelli explained to Roadcycling.com.
In accordance with the spirit of Roadcycling.com, which is working actively to support and protect the nature and environment in which we all enjoy riding our bikes, Team Garmin-Sharp has decided to join forces with WWF (World Wildlife Fund).
According to a team spokesman, the collaboration with WWF is a natural progression of an exciting story. In the 2013 Liège-Bastogne-Liège race, Garmin-Sharp's lead rider, Dan Martin, was chased by a man in a panda suit just before he sprinted to the race victory. Since then, the panda has been the team's spiritual mascot, regularly called upon via Twitter to provide help to the team's riders in the critical moments of a race.
"We are honored to partner with WWF and help its critical mission of creating a future where people live in harmony with nature," Jonathan Vaughters, CEO of Slipstream Sports and Team Garmin-Sharp commented and added "We're thrilled to contribute to WWF's efforts to ensure that cyclists, cycling fans, and everyone else have a healthy, thriving planet to enjoy for generations to come."
WWF works in more than one hundred countries to conserve biodiversity and ensure that the resources that sustain life on Earth are used wisely. According to information received from the team, Team Garmin-Sharp will race in 19 countries during the 2014 season, promoting the link between sport and preservation of the fragile nature we are surrounded by on and off our bikes.
According to Maria Boulos, Director Corporate Partnership at WWF International, "This collaboration with Team Garmin-Sharp is a natural fit for WWF because athletes and fans can be great advocates for the environment."
"Cyclists do the sport they love outdoors, and they want to have beautiful landscapes and clean air and water to enjoy – not just today, but forever," Boulos added.
For the last three years New Balance has been the official off-bike athletic footwear sponsor for Team Garmin-Sharp. New to the sponsorship this year will be the addition of the New Balance logo to the front of the team's official jersey.
"Since 2011 New Balance has enjoyed a successful sponsorship with Team Garmin-Sharp," explained Jeff McAdams, Head of the Global Strategic Consumer Group at New Balance.
"Last year we released a Team Garmin-Sharp 890v3 running shoe that sold out around the world and in 2014 we look forward to having our New Balance logo added to the team kit. As one of the world's fastest growing athletic brands we see our sponsorship with Team Garmin-Sharp as a natural reflection of our shared vision for innovative performance," McAdams concluded.
For more information on the partnership between Team Garmin-Sharp and WWF visit www.panda.org/garmin-sharp
