"There is definitely relief" - Alpecin manager on Premier Tech becoming a co-sponsor

Alpecin-Deceuninck team manager Philip Roodhooft has admitted the announcement of Canadian firm Premier Tech as the organization's new co-title sponsor, on a three year deal brought a feeling of relief following a turbulent off-season which has seen the demise of the Arkéa–B&B Hotels outfit and a merger between Belgian teams Lotto and Intermarché-Wanty.

“There is definitely relief,” he told Wielerflits, describing the arduous task of finding a new partner for the Dutch outfit. “Over the past months, almost the past year, we have had many conversations including some interesting ones,” he noted, with the deal with current sponsors Deceuninck coming to an end this season.

“At one point, some talks were held more with an eye on 2027, and we were looking at an interim solution for 2026 with Deceuninck and Canyon," he revealed. “Everyone knows it is not easy, and not just for us. It is the case for several teams.”

He continued, stopping short of finding fault with the system of sponsorship the sport relies on. “In the past it was never really easy either. People tend to overlook the fact that in recent year companies like Tudor have come in, that Decathlon is now in the World Tour, that Lidl is making big steps. So I do not think everything is going badly as a whole. The fact remains that the model is not always very straightforward. It never has been, and it still is not.”

“That is true, and people can have their opinions about it, but it is also a model," he commented when asked about the issue, revealing that Premier Tech, who on top of having a long history in the sport will also sponsor UCI Continental squad St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 next season, will give the squad a welcome financial boost. “We will move a little bit forward in terms of budget next year,” he added. “More importantly, in the coming years there is an upward trend built into the contract, and that is crucial for us to stay competitive.”

Despite the security the deal brings, with an option for a further three years on the table, Roodhooft’s team faces a stern challenge to remain competitive in a sport where some teams are backed by nation states and the world’s wealthiest individuals.