Award winning building contractor, Strategic Team Group, announces that it is to sponsor British pro cycling team, Sportscover, in a deal worth £2,000, which will see the team of elite and youth development riders donning new kit featuring the firm’s corporate colours and logo.  Furthermore, the professional cyclists will be mentoring keen cyclists, who are set to take part in the Strategic Team Group’s mammoth ‘10 City Bike Challenge’ in June to raise funds for The Prince of Wales Hospice in Pontefract, Yorkshire.

The team, which is a mix of vast experience and emerging talent, includes six senior and five youth development riders who are being primed by team mentor and captain, Ashley Brown, and are potential candidates for the 2012 London Olympics.  All with impressive achievements and titles under their belts, the team of senior riders consists of double Olympian, John Tanner; 2010 Commonwealth Games competitor, Duncan Urquhart; Best British All Rounder title holder, Kev Dawson; Great Britain mountain biker turned road rider, Hamish Batchelor; 2009 Tour of Border winner, Collin Humphrey plus Great Britain cyclists, Gavin Evans and Ashley Brown.  The youth development team includes John Tanner’s exceptionally talented 17 year old son, Jake Tanner, 17 year old Ben Last, 17 year old Alex Wallis, 16 year old Josh Cole and 16 year old James Wagner.
 
This year will see the team race in the UK Premier Calendar series, plus international events such as the Shay Elliot Memorial in Ireland.  The youth development squad will go to Belgium in June for a stint of international racing.
 
The sponsorship deal will also see the team mentoring Strategic Team Group riders who are taking part in the company’s charity 10 City Bike challenge, which is set to take place on the 14th June 2010 to mark the firm’s 10th anniversary.  Teams will cycle from the company’s office in Castleford to Munich in Germany, pedaling through some of the most scenic cycle routes in Europe, including ten cities in the UK, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, collectively racking up a total of 600 miles in the saddle, in a bid to raise funds for the company’s chosen charity, The Prince of Wales Hospice in Pontefract.
 
Commenting on the sponsorship deal, Strategic Team Group’s managing director and keen cyclist, Andy Watson said:

“Supporting a world class all British team riding on the international circuit is a fantastic opportunity. The partnership with Sportscover is key to reinforcing Strategic Team Group’s reputation as a credible business striving to support a wide variety of sports men and women, all aiming to achieve sporting greatness across a broad cross-section of sports.

“We’re also delighted that the team will be supporting us in our next physical fundraising trial, the 10 City Bike challenge, where our aim will be to pedal through some of the most scenic cycle routes in Europe, passing through ten cities and perhaps most importantly, raising as much money as we can for The Prince of Wales Hospice in Pontefract.  The professionals are certainly going to need a lot of patience and perseverance!”

Sportscover team captain, Ashley Brown added:

“The sponsorship deal will play a crucial part in the team’s development of the youth team who demonstrated their ability to win races in their first season last year. The support provided by Strategic Team Group will allow us to send the lads to some key events with the aim of progressing them onto the Olympic Development Programme ahead of the 2012 London Olympics. Strategic Team Group have assisted the team over the past three years, and this year we have increased the focus on youth riders to ensure our continued success in years to come.”