Bike Noob

Because I'm Always Learning Something New

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Partners

Those bike team names

07.09.2008 by Ray Niekamp // 6 Comments

Ever wonder just who those companies are that sponsor the teams in the Tour de France? For most of us who don’t follow pro cycling on a regular basis, the team names have an exotic European flavor we encounter once a year. I finally got fed up with seeing the names and not knowing their significance — so here we go.

  • Cofidis — French — Consumer Credit. Offers customized consumer loans either by phone or over the Internet.
  • Gerolsteiner — German — Bottled spring water.
  • Agritubel — French — Worldwide provider and manufacturer of tubular metal products for cattle, livestock and farming.
  • Silence-Lotto — Belgian — Lotto is the Belgian lottery. Silence is a brand name for Omega Pharma, a Belgian pharmaceutical company. Previous team names of Davitamon and Predictor were also brand names of Omega Pharma.
  • Credit Agricole — French — Largest retail banking group in France. 8th largest in world.
  • Saunier Duval-Scott — Spanish — Part of the Vaillant Group, manufacturing home hot water heaters, heating and air conditioning systems.
  • Liquigas — Italian — Supplies liquified gas products in Italy.
  • Euskaltel Euskadi — Basque — Basque telephone company. Euskadi is the Basque word for Basque.
  • Quick Step Innergetic — Belgian — Laminate floor covering company. Innergetic is Europe’s leading manufacturer of latex foam mattresses, toppers and pillows for the bedding industry.
  • Barloworld — U.K. — Team is registered in the U.K., but Barloworld is a South African brand management company, supplying heavy equipment (Caterpillar), automotive (Avis), warehouse equipment (Hyster), and logistics in a number of different countries.
  • Ag2r-La Mondiale — French — Ag2r Group is a French-based interprofessional insurance and supplementary retirement fund group. The La Mondiale Group is a French-based international group for supplementary pension and estate planning insurance.
  • Caisse d’Epargne — Spanish — The team is registered to Spain, but the sponsor is a French banking company.
  • CSC-Saxobank — Danish — CSC is Computer Sciences Corporation, information technology services to businesses and governments. Saxobank is a Danish online investment bank.
  • Rabobank — Dutch — Dutch cooperative bank, mostly in agribusiness. Set up as a federation of credit unions.
  • Bouygues Telecom — French — Mobile telephone company.
  • Francaise des Jeux — French — French national lottery.
  • Milram — German — Milram brand of the Bremen-based Nordmilch company (dairy). Milk, butter, and cheese.
  • Lampre — Italian — Manufacturer of prefinished steel sheet materials. Secondary sponsor Fondital is a manufacturer of home heaters and radiators.

Garmin-Chipotle (GPS navigation and a chain of Mexican food restaurants) and Columbia (sportswear) should already be known, at least to American biking fans.

Info from Wikipedia and the web sites of the companies. If I’m in error on any of the details, the fault lies with me.

Like this:

Like Loading…

Related

Categories // Racing Tags // Racing, sponsors, teams, Tour de France

Comments

  1. Red says

    July 9, 2008 at 3:29 am

    That was some good information. I was wondering about some of the sponsors yesterday. I think Rabobank even though a cooperative is also very large. At one time they were getting into agri-banking in the US. I don’t know if it ever happened or not.

    Reply
  2. Jon says

    July 9, 2008 at 8:11 am

    The lack of Italian teams reflects the Tour’s politics more than the enthusiasm of the Italians. The Tour is an invitation-only event, and if the Tour doesn’t want you, you don’t go regardless of your abilities.

    Reply
  3. mssmotorrd says

    May 3, 2009 at 6:52 am

    It’s the first time I commented here and I must say you share us genuine, and quality information for bloggers! Good job.
    p.s. You have a very good template for your blog. Where did you find it?

    Reply
    • rainycamp says

      June 12, 2009 at 9:55 am

      Sorry for the delay in responding — somehow I missed your comment. The template — called “Pool” — is one of the standard WordPress templates.

      Reply

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Get Email Updates

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 257 other subscribers

Categories

  • Accessories
  • Bike fit
  • Bikes
  • Blogging
  • Books
  • clubs
  • Cold weather
  • Community
  • Commuting
  • Components
  • crash
  • cycling
  • Equipment
  • Favorite rides
  • fitness
  • food
  • guest post
  • Heat
  • Injury
  • logs
  • Maintenance
  • Mental
  • Nutrition
  • Odds 'n ends
  • People
  • Poll
  • Racing
  • Records & stats
  • Review
  • Rides
  • running
  • Safety
  • soreness
  • Specialized
  • Technique
  • Technology
  • Tips
  • tires
  • training
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Partners

Recent Posts

  • Getting Back on the Bike: Road Cycling Tips for Older Cyclists
  • Are BCAAs and EAAs Good for Cycling?
  • How to Fix Numb Toes When Cycling
  • How to Find and Vet a Bike Club
  • Celebrate Pearl Izumi with Big Savings in the Memorial Day Sale

Categories

  • Accessories
  • Bike fit
  • Bikes
  • Blogging
  • Books
  • clubs
  • Cold weather
  • Community
  • Commuting
  • Components
  • crash
  • cycling
  • Equipment
  • Favorite rides
  • fitness
  • food
  • guest post
  • Heat
  • Injury
  • logs
  • Maintenance
  • Mental
  • Nutrition
  • Odds 'n ends
  • People
  • Poll
  • Racing
  • Records & stats
  • Review
  • Rides
  • running
  • Safety
  • soreness
  • Specialized
  • Technique
  • Technology
  • Tips
  • tires
  • training
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized

Archives

  • May 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • March 2022
  • October 2020
  • November 2018
  • May 2018
  • September 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • January 2016
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008

Copyright © 2026 · Modern Studio Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Go to mobile version
%d