Hot on the heels of Deceuninck QuickStep's recent six-year contract renewal with equipment sponsor Specialized, Jumbo-Visma have gone one better, committing to ride Cervélo bikes for an indefinite period of time.
Described by the team as a 'breaking open' of the contract, the news comes just seven months into the partnership between the two parties, after Jumbo-Visma switched to Cervélo from Bianchi at the beginning of 2021.
"Cervélo already showed enormous commitment towards the team and most importantly, our riders and technical staff are very satisfied," explained Jumbo-Visma CEO, Richard Plugge. "There is a good collaboration and we both have the same mindset to become better every day."
After an initial rocky start that saw Wout van Aert and Marianne Vos forced to race aboard Bianchi cyclo-cross bikes repainted in Jumbo-Visma colours, Cervélo quickly worked with the team to supply a cyclo-cross bike of its own.
A few months later, the team was then spotted aboard another new bike, one that is yet to be formally unveiled but assumed to be the latest iteration of the brand's lightweight R5.
"Cervélo also understands what professional cycling is about," continued Plugge. "Going forward together we will work hard to contribute to keep their bikes leading the pack."
The deal will see Cervélo supply its fleet of race bikes, which includes the lightweight R5, the aerodynamic S5, the P5 time trial bike, and the aero, classics-ready Caledonia to the men's WorldTeam, the women's Continental team, the junior development team as well as the team's speed skating arm.
The collaboration between the team and the Cervélo brand so far has already been a fruitful affair, with both Vos and Van Aert winning at Gent-Wevelgem and Amstel Gold, various national titles on the road and in time trials, and Primož Roglič impressively taking all three available jerseys at the 2.UWT race at the Itzulia Basque Country.
"Our mentalities just match perfectly as we are both never satisfied and always on the lookout for further innovations," explained Richard Keeskamp, sports marketing director of Cervélo. "Going forward the team’s feedback will be extremely valuable for the development of our performance bikes."
