Cycling-New sponsor found for African cycling team

Swiss cycling wear maker ASSOS will be the new sponsor of Africa’s only team on the UCI WorldTour, whose participation was threatened by the end of a previous commercial deal, it was announced on Friday.

Swiss cycling wear maker ASSOS will be the new sponsor of Africa's only team on the UCI WorldTour, whose participation was threatened by the end of a previous commercial deal, it was announced on Friday. The team, whose principal South African, Doug Ryder, has had several different sponsors over the years, raced as NTT Pro Cycling this year but will in future be known as Team Qhubeka ASSOS, it said in a statement.

The new name is a reference to the cycling charity that Ryder's team have long backed. The deal comes just weeks after a split between Ryder and former Tour de France winner Bjarne Riis, who joined as manager at the start of this year with hopes of buying part of their WorldTour license.

An announcement on their line-up for next year is expected to follow, amid media speculation star fixture Edvald Boasson Hagen is poised to leave. (Writing by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

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