Aqua Blue Sport, the multi retailer online cycling marketplace and Ireland’s first UCI Professional Continental team, have teamed up with SweetSpot to become their Official Online Retailer and Digital Partner, in a move that will see the Irish brand launch a dedicated online retail store for the OVO Energy Tour of Britain, OVO Energy Women’s Tour and The Tour Series.
Launched in 2017, Aqua Blue Sport will bring cycling enthusiasts around the world closer to Britain’s leading men’s and women’s professional races through their industry leading online marketplace. Their presence at the Tour Village, the promotional zone found at each of SweetSpot’s events, will also facilitate engagement with independent cycling retailers, brands and distributors located in or near to the races’ host towns and cities.
Furthermore, Aqua Blue Sport will sponsor the online video player available across the official OVO Energy Tour of Britain, OVO Energy Women’s Tour and The Tour Series websites and SweetSpot’s e-newsletters.
Heath Harvey, CEO of SweetSpot, said: “In partnering with Aqua Blue Sport, SweetSpot are working with a brand who have made a great impact in the world of cycling in a short space of time. Our shared technical and digital expertise will offer both companies significant opportunities to grow their brands in a commercially competitive marketplace.
“Fans of our races around the world will benefit from our dedicated online retail store while, at the same time, we can bring the OVO Energy Tour of Britain, OVO Energy Women’s Tour and The Tour Series closer to independent bike stores, an integral part of the British cycling scene.”
Aqua Blue Sport launched in 2017 by Irish businessman Rick Delaney and made an instant impact in the cycling world. American rider Larry Warbasse claimed his country’s national road race title as well as a stage victory in the Tour de Suisse, before Austrian Stefan Denifl capped the team’s Grand Tour debut by winning stage 17 of the prestigious La Vuelta a España.
Rick Delaney, founder of Aqua Blue Sport, said: “Aqua Blue Sport is proud to join forces with SweetSpot as the Official Online Retailer and Digital Partner. This dynamic collaboration is the recognition of the strength and value of our online marketplace – the foundation of our ambition to be a self-sustained professional cycling team.
“OVO Energy Tour of Britain, OVO Energy Women’s Tour and the Tour Series have captured the hearts of cycling fans in Britain and worldwide, and we look forward to growing together and amplifying the reach of the sport through a dedicated partnership that will unite elite pro racing with elite retailers and brands in Britain and worldwide.”
This new partnership creates customizable opportunities for cycling brands to directly associate themselves with team Aqua Blue Sport, as well as with the best professional cycling events in Britain, through the unique ecommerce website www.aquabluesport.com.
Among the products that will be made available to cycling fans via www.aquabluesport.com are the OVO Energy Tour of Britain, OVO Energy Women’s Tour and The Tour Series leaders’ jerseys, as well as the exclusive Tour clothing range, produced exclusively by Le Col, SweetSpot’s Official Cycle Clothing Partner. The store will also feature Dare 2b’s line of casual clothing and race t-shirts for SweetSpot events.
The OVO Energy Tour of Britain is British Cycling’s premier road cycling event, giving cycling fans the opportunity to see the world’s best teams and riders competing on their door step, taking place between Sunday 2 and Sunday 9 September 2018. Full details of this year’s route will be unveiled at the National Launch in the spring.
Host towns and cities for the Tour Series, which sees Britain’s top male and female professional teams battle it out over a series of circuit races, as well as the race route for the five-day OVO Energy Women’s Tour, which proudly forms part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar, will be announced during February.
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About Aqua Blue Sport
The fruit of a long-term vision to compete on the highest stage of world sport with a team based on a unique, self-sustained funding model, Aqua Blue Sport is Ireland’s first UCI Professional Continental cycling team and online marketplace, launched in January 2017. Founded by Irishman Rick Delaney, Aqua Blue Sport features a 16-strong rider roster supported by www.aquabluesport.com, a multi-retailer online marketplace bringing the world’s best bike stores and brands together with one unique digital platform.
Having already notched considerable success in its maiden season – including stunning stage wins in the Tour de Suisse for US rider Larry Warbasse and in La Vuelta a España for Austrian Stefan Denifl (who also took overall victory in the Tour of Austria) – Aqua Blue Sport is firmly on track to achieve its ultimate goals: WorldTour status, participation in the Tour de France and success for www.aquabluesport.com
About SweetSpot Group
SweetSpot Group are a sports events and marketing company specialising in the creation and execution of high-quality, annual sporting events.
Re-launched in 2004 after a five year absence from the calendar, the OVO Energy Tour of Britain attracts the world’s top cyclists, including Olympic and World Champions and Tour de France stage winners, to compete on British roads each September, with daily live coverage on ITV4 and Eurosport in the UK, and around the world.
Launched in 2014, the OVO Energy Women’s Tour is a part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour, and the UK’s leading women’s cycling event, taking place over five stages with coverage on ITV4.
The Tour Series is Britain’s leading domestic televised race Series, with a unique team based format for both men and women’s teams. Taking place at ten town and city centre locations, The Tour Series will celebrate its tenth season in May 2018.
For further media information please visit www.thetour.co.uk/press