Suds Law: Team Persil is launched in Manchester

British Cycling has today announced a relationship with Persil, "the country’s number one name in laundry."

The partnership will see the detergent manufacturer sponsoring British Cycling’s Go-Ride and Talent Team development programmes, the GB Cycling Team and an all-stars domestic racing team. The sponsorship deal is worth £175,000 in its first year.

Persil’s sponsorship means that Go-Ride will become free to all participating schools. Targets for 2004 include 20,000 under-eighteens participating in Go-Ride and 100 primary schools delivering the entry level versions of the programme. Persil will also support the development of a new National Skills Test Competition for Primary Schools.

Persil will become the Official Laundry Detergent of both the Great Britain Cycling Team and the Great Britain Talent Team. The Talent Team has 200 young riders receiving coaching and support from British Cycling and they will all receive a year’s supply of Persil.

The launch of Persil’s own domestic cycling team brings together many of British Cycling’s leading talents, from world champions Craig MacLean, Chris Newton and Chris Hoy, through to Mountain Biker Nick Craig and up-and-coming BMX star Shanaze Reade.

Persil’s cycling spokesperson Phil Wade rsaid: ‘We know from talking with mums across the country that they are keen for their children to be fit, active and healthy. We’re committed to enabling kids to develop through experience – to get out of the house, get on a bike and get mucky! The relationship with British Cycling allows us to do this. From Go-Ride initiatives at schools right through to Olympic hopefuls on the track, we are proud to be involved at every level of cycling.”

Persil’s sponsorship of the Go-Ride scheme has also enabled British Cycling to secure a grant of £50,000 from the government’s Sportsmatch funding programme.

In addition, Trek, who already supply bikes for the Great Britain Cycling Team and the grass roots go-ride scheme, will now be extending that support and becoming the official supplier of bikes for Team Persil. Trek will be the sole supplier for a nationwide promotional campaign with Persil.

British Cycling’s Chief Executive Peter King said: “Persil’s sponsorship of British Cycling is wonderful news for the sport. Coming in the year of the Athens Olympics, it presents British Cycling with an excellent opportunity to raise the profile of the sport at grass-roots level through both the Go-Ride and Talent Team programmes. The excitement of the Olympics will inspire school children to get involved with cycling and Persil has given British Cycling’s ability to respond to this demand a significant boost. The launch of Team Persil and the brand’s involvement in the GB team further underline Persil’s level of commitment to the sport.”

Team Persil

Chris Newton

Rob Hayles

Paul Manning

Victoria Pendleton

Bryan Steel

Chris Hoy

Craig Maclean

Six under 23 Endurance Riders

Nick Craig (MTB champion)

Shanaze Reade (Britain’s leading female BMX rider)