Andy and Fränk Schleck will be swapping Specialized bikes for Trek ones next season after the announcement today of a long-term partnership agreement between The Luxembourg Pro Cycling Team Project, the new squad the brothers are joining at the end of this season, and the Waterloo, Wisconsin-based bicycle manufacturer.
According to a joint announcement at the Eurobike trade show by Trek and Brian Nygaard, who is putting together the Luxembourg Team, “Trek will not only be responsible for supplying all team cycling equipment, but will also be day-to-day technical advisors, integrated into the foundation of the team.”
The statement continued: “Trek will use its experience gained in winning 9 of the last 12 Tours de France” – seven of those by Lance Armstrong, of course, and two for Alberto Contador – “to supply the team with technical direction ranging from race day wheel and component selection to fit and sizing guidance on its Madone and Speed Concept time trial platforms.”
The team is still to announce its full roster of riders as well as its headline sponsor, but Director Kim Andersen, formerly with the Schlecks’ current outfit, Team Saxo Bank, explained the reasons behind the partnership with Trek: “We looked at a number of equipment suppliers, but our goals are to win the Tour de France and be the #1 team in the World. Trek has the best equipment, along with more experience and expertise to help make that happen.”
General Manager Brian Nygaard, former press officer at Saxo Bank before briefly undertaking a similar role at Team Sky, continued: “We know Trek can help us go faster. Their expertise in aerodynamics and performance can make an appreciable difference in results. It is the right move to help the Schlecks and the whole team.”
The Trek frames will be equipped with Bontrager wheels, bars, stems and saddles designed to meet individual riders’ requirements, and the team will also wear a new range of Bontrager performance road helmets.
Drivetrain and brakes will be Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 and Hennie Stamsnijder, Shimano's Sports Marketing Manager relayed, “Shimano is known for its reliability and precision, and that is something this new team and Trek identify with and will rely upon when the stakes are high. We look forward to working with Trek in this endeavor to support this highly anticipated team.”
John Burke, Trek President, said: “We have had great success at the Tour de France over the past decade, and this new team will help continue that legacy. This is the right team for Trek to partner with in Europe. From day one we realized that this team is full of Trek guys.”
Meanwhile, Trek also confirmed that it would continue to supply Team RadioShack.
Born in Scotland, Simon moved to London aged seven and now lives in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds with his miniature schnauzer, Elodie. He fell in love with cycling one Saturday morning in 1994 while living in Italy when Milan-San Remo went past his front door. A daily cycle commuter in London back before riding to work started to boom, he's been news editor at road.cc since 2009. Handily for work, he speaks French and Italian. He doesn't get to ride his Colnago as often as he'd like, and freely admits he's much more adept at cooking than fettling with bikes.